HE RIVER OF DEATH 



M.W.KNAPP. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
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Chap Copyright No 

Sheifii.^.K'S 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




WRECKED OR RESCUED==WHICH ? 

By MARTIN WELLS KNAPP. 



THE RIVER OF DEATH 



AND ITS BRANCHES, 



HOW PEOPLE PERISH IN IT, AND HOW THEY 
MAY BE RESCUED. 




BY 

MARTIN WELLS KNAPP, 

Editor of The Revivalist, and Author of "Christ Croicncd Within, 
"Out of Egypt Ifito Canaan," "Revival Tornadoes,' 
' 'Impressions, " " Double Cure, " " Lightning- 
Bolts from Pentecostal Skies," 
Etc., Etc. 



M. W. KNAPP. 
Publisher of Gospel Literature, 
Office of The Revivalist, Cincinnati, 

CopyHg-hi, i§f)8, by M. W, Knaff, 







41412 



TWO COPIES RECEIVED. 




LC control Nuntoer 







tmp96 



028853 



TABLE OF CONTENTS.. 



CHAPTER. 

I. 

II. 

III. 

IV. 

V. 

VI. 

VII. 



VIII. 

IX. 

X. 

XI. 



XII. 



XIII. 

XIV. 

XV. 

XVI. 

XVII. 



Frontispiece, "Wrecked or Rescued — Which?" 

PAGE. 

God's Law 5 

The River of Death 8 

First River — Idolatry H 

Second River — Idol Worship 10 

Third River— Profanity 20 

Fourth River — Sabbath Breaking 26 

Remember the Sabbath Day 31 

Fifth River — Obedience to Parents 34 

Johnny's Own Way 38 

Bennie 39 

Thank God for Mother 42 

Paid in His Own Coin 42 

' ' i Know a Thing or Two " 43 

Sixth River — Murder 45 

Seventh River — Adultery 49 

Eighth River — Stealing 52 

The Eighth Commandment 59 

Ninth River— Lying 62 

Acting a Lie 66 

A Liar's Fate 67 

Tenth River — Covetousness 69 

Beware of Covetousness 73 

What It Cost 73 

Stolen Treasure. , .-.••.•• , "74 

The River's Ravages 75 

Restoration 78 

The Judgement 85 

Full Salvation for the Young 88 

Whiter Than Snow 93 

Eternity 97 

Rescued from the River 101 

Carried Over the Falls 113 

Why Will Ye Die ? 123 



THE RIVER OP DEATH. 



CHAPTER I. 



GOD S LAW. 



" My little children, these things write I unto you, 
that ye may not sin." — I. John ii. 1. 

" For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet 
stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all." — 
James ii. 10. 

The preceding Chart represents this Law broken, 
influences leading to breaking it, and the terrible 
consequences of living in Sin. 

Every law which God has made is good, and not 
one of them can be disobeyed without destroying the 
soul, injuring God's kingdom, and defying Him; for 
He has said: ''The soul that sinnctJi it shall die.'' 

The Law has been compared to a looking-glass, 
by gazing into which we may see the kind of persons 
we really are. If one is a sinner, this glass shows the 
soul covered with the dirt of sin. 

A looking-glass is not made to wash the face, but it 
does show the dirt. So the Law can save no one, nor 



6 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

make clean, but reveals the uncleanness which Jesus 
stands ready to wash away. 

The River of Death and all its Branches, shown 
on the Chart, are filthy Streams, flowing through the 
Malarious Land of Sin, and all who are drifting in 
them will perish forever unless they come to Jesus 
and wash and be clean. 

We must remember that the love of God is shown 
just as really in the giving of the Law as in the giving 
of His Son and of His Spirit. 

Sinai is as really divine as Calvary. 

The Law forbids Idolatry, because children should 
love and obey and worship their Heavenly Father 
above all others. This is for their good as well as 
for His glory. 

It forbids Profanity, because it is wrong for people 
to speak disrespectfully of Him who made them. 

It forbids Sabbath Breaking, because God loves 
His children and knows they need a weekly Day of 
Rest. 

It forbids Disobedience to Parents, because Obe- 
dience is the corner-stone of lives of usefulness and 
happiness here and enjoyment hereafter. 

It forbids Murder, because God loves people, and 
would not have them suddenly summoned by each 
other to meet Death, and if obedient will protect 
them from every hostile hand until He shall call them 
home. 

It forbids Adultery, because lust is ruinous to both 
soul and body — to the individual and to society — and 
He would have His children pure. 



GODS LAW. 7 

It forbids Stealing, because He loves His children 
and would protect them in the property interests 
which He intrusts to their care. 

It forbids Lying, because it is Satanlike and im- 
perils person and property, both of which are precious 
in His sight. 

It forbids Covetousness, because it is a soul cancer 
which leads to pride and false ambition, and many 
other sins which are ruinous to the soul. 

In fact, God forbids all Sin, because it imparts 
to its possessor the very character of Satan, unfitting 
for usefulness and enjoyment in this world and in the 
world to come. 

Let us then be thankful to the Heavenly Father, 
who thus warns us of the Burning Fires of Sin, which 
will torture all who handle them. 



CHAPTER II. 



THE RIVER OF DEATH. 



" For the wages of sin is death." — Rom. vi. 23. 

This book is a description of the River of Death, 
its Branches and its dangers, and how to escape 
them. Study the foregoing picture of it very care- 
fully, as it will be often referred to. 

It is located in the Land of Sin, better known by 
some as the Land of Selfishness and by others as the 
Land of Unbelief. This Land is infested by raven- 
ous wild beasts and venomous serpents, and abounds 
with sterile deserts and deadly swamps. Pitfalls and 
quicksands also are numerous. Its inhabitants were 
lured into it by Satan, and multitudes have perished 
and are perishing in spite of the heroic efforts put 
forth by the King of Heaven and His Son to rescue 
them. The River of Death, with its Tributaries, 
flows through this Land, and all its dwellers are 
borne by it over the Falls of Eternal Despair. 

It is an old River, one of the very oldest in all 
this World. It had its source way back in the Gar- 
den of Eden when our first parents fell into its fatal 
flood and lost their spiritual lives. 

It is a deep River, so deep that all who sink in it 
do so to rise no more, unless rescued by Divine 



THE RIVER OF DEATH. 9 

Power. Its banks are so high and steep that no 
one has ever been able unaided to cHmb them, and 
niiUions of souls have been lost in it. 

It is a popular River — not with the King of 
Heaven nor His Son nor His Spirit nor His people, 
but with Satan and the multitudes he deceives. 

It is a fascinating River, so fascinating that, 
though its people know their peril and final doom, 
yet they often resist every appeal and disregard 
every warning for the momentary pleasure or profit 
of the ride upon its bosom. They are all the victims 
of a sort of spiritual insanity, by which the will and 
affections are deranged and domineer over the reason 
and the judgment. 

It is a swift River. Its current is so strong that 
no one unaided can resist it, and its waters and banks 
are infested with poisonous serpents, that sting and 
hiss and kill. 

It finally leaps over the greatest Falls in all the 
wide World — the Falls of Eternal Despair — and 
sweeps its victims into the bottomless Ocean of a 
burning Hell where they are "tormented day and 
night for ever and ever." 

There is no other stream in all the Universe 
whose currents thus fill the Ocean of Eternal Doom. 
Hence Satan, himself, takes great delight in it; super- 
intends it from the beginning to the end, and with his 
imps sets multitudes of baits and snares to induce 
people to venture upon its treacherous bosom. 

It is a deceptive River, and he has a way of making 
its waters look beautiful and attractive in order to 



10 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

lure victims to set sail upon them. Satan has a 
powder named "Delusion," which makes its travelers 
believe they are safe and on their way to Heaven. 
He has many agents who administer this powder. 

Satan tells people they can have much more enjoy- 
ment by being their own pilots and sailing there, than 
by getting into the Life Boat, accepting Jesus as their 
Pilot, and being landed on the Plains of Regener- 
ation, and carried hence to Holiness Heights and 
finally into Heaven to spend a glorious Eternity. 

Millions have believed his lies and perished. Many 
think they will sail for a "little while only" and then 
return; but too late they find the current so swift 
they can not resist it, and so sweep over the merciless 
Falls, stung by many a scorpion of sin, and shrieking: 
"Too late! Too late! I am lost! I am lost! " 

"To be forewarned is to be forearmed." Hence 
God has told us all about this River in His Word ; all 
about the heroic expedition of His Son from Glory's 
dazzling heights to earth's dark night to rescue 
souls from Satan's power, from this River's awful 
flood, and the fearful Falls of Eternal Despair, and 
the burning lake of Hell beyond. 

Would you like to know more about it .^ Then 
read the following chapters. Before you read promise 
me one thing, namely: If you find you have been de- 
ceived and are drifting on this fatal Stream, that you 
will cry to God for help; break away from the enchanted 
spell that Satan may have thrown around you, and leap 
into the Life Boat of Salvation which the Saviour 
brings to your side. What say you ? 



CHAPTER III. 



FIRST RIVER IDOLATRY. 



"Thou Shalt have none other gods before me." — Ex. 
XX. 3. 

Idolatry is the name - of the first Stream that 
we will notice which feeds the River of Death. 
Many think that all Idolators are in heathen lands 
and bow down to gods of wood and stone, but this is 
a mistake, for all are idolators who love anyone 

OR ANYTHING MORE THAN THEY LOVE GOD. 

The following- are some of the Idols which boys 
and girls frequently worship, and do not seem to 
realize their sin and danger : 

1. The Love of Self. If you love Self more than 
you love Jesus, then Self has become your Idol. Do 
you spend more time thinking about Self, admiring 
Self and looking at Self than you do in prayer ? 
When Self is crossed, do you feel vexed ? Does it 
make you jealous when your brother or sister or 
playmate receives favors or gifts and you do not ? 
If so, then you are seeking the Kingdom of Self 
instead of seeking the Kingdom of God, and in the 
Death Boat of Self-Idolatry you are drifting and 
sinking towards your doom. 

2. Friends. You ought to love your father and 



12 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

your mother, your brothers and sisters, your friends 
and your foes, but if you love anyone more than 
you love Jesus, then that one becomes your Idol. 
People may become Idolators by allowing infatuation 
to lead to marriage with the ungodly. The object of 
your affections thus becomes your Idol, for God for- 
bids such marriages. See II. Cor. vi. 14; also my 
book on "Impressions." Do you take greater de- 
light in pleasing your friends than in pleasing God ? 
Does it rejoice you more to give to them than to give 
to the suffering cause of Jesus ? If God takes your 
loved ones to Himself, do you rebel and feel hard 
toward Him for so doing.? If any of these things are 
true, then you have set up an Idol in your heart 
where Christ alone should reign. 

3. Business. Many grown people make this an 
Idol which they worship. They give their lives to 
their own Business and little or nothing to God's 
Business. They say their Business must be attended 
to, and so neglect their souls and the worship of God 
who made them, for their Business. This has proven 
one of the most successful Boats on which Satan has 
shipped multitudes over the Fatal Falls. Beware, 
children, as you older grow, lest you enter in. Good 
Business is all right, if done rightly and for God ; 
but if its claims are pressed before His it is a curse 
instead of a blessing. 

4. Worldly Pleasure. God gives all His true 
children Pleasures for evermore. He makes their 
peace like a river, and fills them with the fulness of 
His joy. Satan, has his sham Pleasures, which amuse 



FIRST RIVER— IDOLATRY. 13 

for a little time and then die out and leave a fatal 
burn. One of the positive proofs that millions are 
drifting down this awful stream is that the}' are 
"lovers of Pleasure more than lovers of God." Do 
you love your own Pleasure more than you love to 
please Jesus ^ Do you play when Duty says study, 
or help papa or mamma .^ If so, beware! Many have 
floated down this Stream so far that they love to visit 
and go on excursions on the holy Sabbath da}^ instead 
of worship in the house of God. They love the 
theater, the dance, worldly songs, the circus, playing 
cards, and other wicked amusements more than they 
love communion with God and the company of His 
people and songs of salvation. They are thought- 
less, worldly, ga}' and giddy, forgetful that they 
are drifting toward the Falls, and that an awful 
Eternity is just before them. Like Belshazzar of 
old, their Pleasure is short and doom certain. Have 
you not read, in the Bible, how he sailed down 
this River in the Boat of Worldly Pleasure ? How 
quickly it capsized and drifted over the Falls of 
Eternal Despair ? All who sail in it, unless rescued 
by Saving Grace, will suffer similar wreckage. Many 
other gaily painted Boats drift down this black 
Stream. Some love their Reputation more than 
God, and care more about what men think of them 
than what God thinks. All who do so, make that their 
Idol. Others give greater honor to their own Views 
than they do to God and His Word. Such worship 
their own Opinions. In fact, everyone who has not 
given up all Sin, and yielded to Jesus and been con- 



14 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

verted, loves someone or something more than God, 
and hence is drifting down this merciless River. 
The awful wickedness of this Sin is seen from the 
following facts: 

God has made us, redeemed us, and keeps us 
every moment, and gives us every blessing which wc 
have. Therefore we should love Him and serve Him 
above all else. 

He has made us for His own glory, and demands 
that we give Him our first and greatest love. To 
refuse to do this would be like plucking the sun from 
the heavens and leaving darkness in its place. 

Did you ever think how badly it would make your 
parents feel if they should discover that you are 
loving their gifts more than you love them ? 

What would you think of a kingdom that would 
drive a kind, good king from the throne and put a 
wicked person in his place, and obey and worship 
him ? Yet all do this who break the First Command- 
ment and dare to sail down this black River of Idol- 
atry, which bears all upon its bosom into the River of 
Death and over the Fatal Falls. 

If you break this Commandment, and love some- 
one or something more than you love God, you defy 
His love and authority; you lose His help; you discard 
His salvation, holiness and heaven, and choose to 
drift down to Christless, endless, hopeless, awful 
Night. 

If you are in this River will you not just now give 
up all Sin, submit to Jesus, trust Him to save you, 
call earnestly to God for help, and thus leap into the 



FIRST RIVER— IDOLATRY. 15 

Life Boat ? Then Jesus will enter your heart and 
show you how to so die to every Idol and trust Him 
that He will cleanse your heart from all Sin and 
abide in it forever. Are you not ready to say: 

" The dearest Idol I have known, 
Whate'er that Idol be, 
Just now I tear it from Thy throne, 
And worship only Thee" ? 



CHAPTER IV. 

SECOND RIVER — IDOL WORSHIP. 

" Thou Shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor 
the likeness of any form that is in heaven above, or that 
is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the 
earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor 
serve them: for I the Lord thy Grod am a jealous God, 
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, 
upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them 
that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands, of 
them that love me and keep my commandments." — Ex. 
XX. 4-6. 

The First Commandment forbids all internal or 
heart Idolatry. The Second, all external Idolatry. 
One is against treason towards God in the heart, the 
other against hoisting the traitor's flag and proclaim- 
ing it. 

God looks upon Idolatry as one of the vilest sins 
that can be committed against Him. 

It is so awful in His sight that He commanded 
people who were found guilty of it to be stoned to 
death, and in Rev. xxi. 8 He declares of all Idolaters: 

" Their part shall be in the lake that burneth with 

fire and brimstone; which is the second death." 

16 



SECOND RIVER— IDOL WORSHIP. 17 

All are guilty of this wickedness who do the fol- 
lowing things: 

Who make gods of stone or wood or clay or any- 
thing else, and worship them. 

Who dedicate temples to other than the true God. 

Who build costly churches to feed human pride 
and ambition, instead of for the glory of God. 

Who offer prayers and sacrifices to other than the 
God of Heaven. 

Who worship images of Mary or of the saints. 

The following are some of the reasons why all 
should avoid this crime: 

God has expressly forbidden it. 

It is a public declaration of the rejection of the 
true God and the acceptance of sham religion. 

It is degrading to all who are guilty of it, as one 
can not rise higher than the object of his worship. 

It confirms its victim in his error. It dethrones 
the true God from His place of worship in the human 
soul and puts a base substitute in His stead. 

It never satisfies the cravings of an immortal soul. 

It brings disappointment and chagrin, displeasure 
of the true God, exclusion from Heaven, and eternal 
torment. 

This Stream is one of the largest Rivers which 
sweep into the River of Death. Whole nations are 
drifting upon its bosom. 

The condition of its victims is the more deplorable 
because by this act of treason against the true God 
and His Son, Jesus Christ, they shut themselves out 



18 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

of pardon, help, and Heaven, and throw. the doors 
of their souls wide open to all the follies and super- 
stitions and vices with which Satan delights to deceive 
'them. 

God commands His people to herald and proclaim 
to these darkened ones the '*glad tidings of great 
joy," that they may '*turn from these idols to serve 
the living and true God, and wait for His Son from 
heaven." 

Would you not like to be one of the honored num- 
ber who will go and tell them ? If you will fully 
yield all to Him, possibly He will call you to this 
glorious work, and help you among the heathen 
nations to win multitudes to Jesus, and be among the 
number of v/hom He has said: 

*' They that he wise shall shine as the brightness 
of the firmament; and they that turn many to right- 
eousness as the stars for ever and ever." — Dan. xii. 3. 

People who are converted from Idolatry often 
become the very best of Christians. 

I have heard of two little boys in China who had 
given up all their Idols and were fully following Jesus. 
They were bitterly persecuted both by their teacher 
and by their playmates, who were heathen. Finally 
the teacher commanded these two boys to stand up 
before the school, and all the other pupils marched 
around the room, and every one of them spit on their 
faces. The little heroes did not flinch nor complain, 
but broke out in a triumphant song: 



SECOND RIVER— IDOL WORSHIP. 19 

" Must Jesus bear the cross alone, 
And all the world go free ? 
No, there's a cross for everyone, 
And there's a cross for me. 

' ' The consecrated cross I '11 bear, 
Till death shall set me free. 
And then go home my crown to wear, 
For there's a crown for me." 

Do you believe that you would have been as 
brave ? Surely you may if, like them, your trust is 
in the living God. 

Having read these two chapters, can you look 
right up into the face of God and say: "Heavenly 
Father, I have renounced every Idol that was in my 
heart, and every Idol that was outside of it" ? 

Woe unto all who are drifting down either of 
these fearful Streams toward the Falls of Eternal 
Despair. 

Happy are they who through Jesus have been 
rescued from their waters, and are rejoicing in the 
consciousness that Jesus saves. 

"Little children, keep yourselves from Idols." 



CHAPTER V. 



THIRD RIVER PROFANITY. 



** Thou Shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God 
in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that 
taketh his name in vain." — Ex. xx. 7. 

This is the third great River whose stream swells 
the increasing flood of the River of Death. Multi- 
tudes tumble into it to rise no more forever. 

Would you like to hear the story of one of the 
first persons who perished in its waters .^ Then turn 
to Lev. xxiv. 10-16, which is a vivid picture of the 
fall and death of one who plunged into this awful 
River. It says: 

" And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father 
was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: 
and the son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel 
strove together in the camp; and the son of the Israel- 
itish woman blasphemed the Name, and cursed: and they 
brought him unto Moses. And his mother's name was 
Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan. 
And they put him in ward, that it might be declared 
unto them at the mouth of the Lord. 

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Bring 
forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let 



THIRD RIVER— PROFANITY. 21 

all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and 
let all the congregation stone him. And thou shalt 
speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever 
curseth his God shall bear his sin. And he that blas- 
phemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put 
to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him: 
as well the stranger, as the homeborn, when he blas- 
phemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death." 

God places a special emphasis against the violation 
of this Commandment, expressly declaring- that its 
violators will not be held guiltless. Like the 
other laws God h'as made, it is for our good, as well 
as for His glory. 

Human laws provide for the arrest of people for 
"contempt of court," who speak disrespectfully of 
their officers. Much more is he guilty who "takes 
in vain " the name of the King of kings. 

Would you not feel justly and righteously indig- 
nant if you heard the name of your parents spoken of 
disparagingly or used in vain ? Then how much more 
should you revere the name and character of Him who 
has created you, and given His Son to save you from 
your sins, and from whom you receive every breath 
you draw and every pleasure which you have. 

Oh, the soul-defiling mystery of Sin, that will sink 
its victim so low that he will be guilty of so vile a 
deed! 

People become guilty of this Sin and exposed to 
its awful perils in the following ways: 

By profane swearing, like the blasphemous words 



22 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

which frequently flow from the lips of the openly 
wicked. 

By appealing to God insincerely. 

By using '' by- words " as substitutes for swearing. 

By thinking "swearwords"; for, "as one think- 
eth in his heart so is he." 

By using God's name in prayer and songs idly. 

Have you ever noticed that this Commandment 
prohibits not only swearing, but "taking His name /;/ 
vatn " .^ So that whosoever takes ' ' His name in vain " 
in any way breaks this Commandment, and whosoever 
habitually thus uses it is drifting on this Fatal River's 
poisonous flood. 

Jesus says that for every "idle word" that man 
shall speak he must give an account at the day of 
Judgement. If this is true of every idle word, truly 
it embraces idle words where the name of God Him- 
self has been idly used. Religious blasphemers who 
thus sin in songs and prayers and conversation, may 
be even more vile than those whose swearing is more 
vulgar. Jesus says: 

" Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of 
old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt 
perform unto the Lord thine oaths : but I say unto you, 
Swear not at all ; neither by the heaven, for it is the 
throne of Grod ; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool 
of his feet ; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the 
great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for 
thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let 



THIRD RIVER -PROFANITY. 2b 

your speech be, Yea, yea ; Nay, nay : and whatsoever is 
more than these is of the evil one." — Matt. v. 33-37. 

Reader, are you guilty in any of these ways ? If 
so, stop and think. Consider that God hears you, 
reads you, sees you. '' 

Do n't forget that while you may be thoughtless 
and gay about your work or play, that if unforgiven, 
every moment you are drifting, drifting, drifting down 
this awful River ; that you have insulted God and 
broken His law ; that you have brought upon your 
soul the guilt of Sin and the righteous wrath of Him 
whom \'ou thus have wronged, and that you have in- 
\ited a fearful penalty which your soul must meet and 
suffer for ever and ever, unless you repent and leap 
into the Life Boat of Salvation. 

Of all the sins which man commits there is none 
more aggravating nor less excusable than this. 

It is a senseless sin. No possible profit in it in 
any way. 

It is an excuseless sin, as there is no reason why 
anyone should commit it. 

It is a devilish sin, as it shows that its possessor 
has the very nature of Satan, who hates God and in- 
sults Him and breaks His laws. 

It is specially aggravating in the sight of God. All 
sin is loathsome in His sight, but this sin is the only 
one in the whole catalogue against which He expresses 
the intensity of His anger by saying: 

" The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh 
his name in vain." 



24 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

May it not be because this sin committed, opens 
the flood gates of the soul more fully to all other sins ? 

If Satan can get you to set sail in the Death Boat 
of Profanity in this Stream, he will have little trouble 
in luring you into all the Tributaries of the River of 
Death. 

I wish every reader of these pages would stop here 
just a moment, and ask God to help see what every 
person who is guilty of this sin is like. 

He is like a criminal, who would break the right- 
eous laws of his country, and then curse the kind 
rulers who made them. 

Like a wicked boy, who would speak disrespect- 
fully of his kind parents who love, clothe and feed him. 

Reader, would you like to have me tell you what 
I seem just now to see .'' 

I fancy that I see a boy, playing by the side of this 
awful River. He goes close to its edge where the bank 
is very steep, picking Sin's poison flowers which abound 
on every side. Suddenly he becomes angry. For the 
first time an oath falls from his lips, and he falls head- 
long into this awful River. Devils and wicked men 
welcome him, and in the Death Boat of Profanity he 
is launched upon the Stream. At first he shrinks from 
the awful curses which he hears, but he soon gets used 
to them, and is as bad as those around him. False 
friends applaud him, and, smoking, gambling, and 
swearing, together they drift rapidly onward toward 
their doom. Frequently Christ and His servants ap- 
proach him with the Life Boat of Salvation, but he 
says: "I am having so much fun, I can't give it up," 



THIRD RIVER -PROFANITY. 35 

and rejects it, and suddenly his boat strikes an unseen 
rock, goes to the bottom, and his soul, with shrieks 
of agony, is borne over the Falls of Eternal Despair. 
Lost! Lost! Lost forever! 

Reader, beware of this River! 

Christ only can save you. The Life Boat of Sal- 
vation waits to rescue your imperiled soul. It will 
bear you amid songs of victory and everlasting joy to 
the Land of Life, from which you may pass up to 
Holmess Heights, and from thence to the Eternal 
Glory of the Redeemed. 



CHAPTER VI. 

FOURTH RIVER SABBATH BREAKING. 

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six 
days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the 
seventh day is a sabbath unto the Lord thy G-od: in it 
thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy 
daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy 
cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in 
six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and 
all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: where- 
fore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed 
it."— Ex. XX. 8-11. 

Satan strives to make people think the Sabbath 
an irksome requirement by which God keeps His 
people from real enjoyments. 

This is one of his blackest lies. Instead of that, 
God designs it to be a day in which all may rest, and 
enjoy Christian worship. In communion with Him 
and with each other they may thus be fitted in mind, 
soul and body for the work which they must do. 

The Sabbath is humanity's great restorer, by 
which body, mind and spirit rest and are invigorated. 

It is a God-given type of the perfect soul rest 
and heavenly rest which await all Vv^ho fully follow 
Christ. 



FOURTH RIVER— SABBATH BREAKING. 27 

It is a harbor where storm-stranded vessels rest 
and are repaired. 

It is a temple in which our Heavenly Father meets 
and communes with His children. 

It is a celestial observatory from which one views 
Eternity and its realities. 

It is a training school for this world and the next. 

It is our " Lord's Day," commemorating His resur- 
rection. 

" If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from 
doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath 
a delight, and the holy of the Lord honourable; and shalt 
honour it, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine 
own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt 
thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will make thee 
to ride upon the high places of the earth; and I will 
feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the 
mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." — Isa. Iviii. 13, 14. 

Jesus named some exceptions to the stringent 
Jewish rule of Sabbath observance. He taught that 
it is " lawful to do good " upon the Sabbath day, and 
that works of inercy, like relieving suffering, are 
lawful and right. He would have us to be neither 
Sabbathless worldlings seeking our own pleasure, 
or bigoted Pharisees bound by the mere letter of the 
law. We must honor the exceptions in favor of 
"doing good" and "mercy," as well as the law 
demanding cessation of toil. 

Sabbath desecration is an appalling and general 



28 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

sin. Multitudes on every side, breaking this law, 
are drifting down the River of Death '*into the 
eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his 
angels" (Matt, xxv, 41). 

The following are some of the reasons why every 
one should faithfully keep the Sabbath day: 

Because God commands it, and to break His law 
is rebellion against His government. 

Because we all need the rest which its rightful 
observance brings. 

Because the penalty of breaking it is eternal 
death. 

Because Jesus kept it, and we should be like Him. 

Because we need the instruction and communion 
with God which are received through His worship. 

There are many ways in which people break this 
Commandment, and thus displease God and expose 
themselves to the certain wreckage which befalls all 
who persist in sailing upon this great feeder of the 
River of Death. They do so: 

By doing unnecessary work on the Sabbath. 

By making it a day of pleasure and amusement. 

By neglecting religious meetings. 

By reading secular papers and other irreligious 
reading. 

By Sunday picnics and excursions. 

By needless Sunday travel. 

By worldly visiting. 

By lounging and sleeping. The night is for sleep, 
the Sabbath day for rest. 

By writing business letters. 



FOURTH RIVER— SABBATH BREAKING. 2Q 

By running trains and printing papers. 

By doing secular business. 

By going to church simply to see or to be seen. 

It is impossible for an unholy person to keep the 
Sabbath holy. Hence, all who persist in remaining 
unholy break this Commandment and invite its fear- 
ful penalty. 

He who is guilty of Sabbath-breaking is like: 

A man who would rush from the kind shelter of a 
friendly hqspital to perish on the street. 

Like a disabled ship which would refuse to remain 
in the harbor for repairs and so sink in the sea. 

Like a man who would steal the seventh dollar 
from a friend who had given him six. 

Like an engineer who would run his train, when 
the boxes are all on fire, until there is a wreck. 

Like a soldier who would disobey the orders of his 
general. 

Like a person who would fondle a viper in his 
bosom. 

Like the first Sabbath-breaker of whom it is writ- 
ten: "The man shall surely be put to death." 

Like apostate Israel to whom God said: 

" But if ye will not heark&n unto me to hallow the 
sabbath day, . . . then will I kindle a fire in the 
gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jeru- 
salem, and it shall not be quenched." — Jer. xvii. 27. 

The following are some of the lightning strokes 
which sooner or later leap upon those who persist in 
Sabbath-breaking : 



30 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

Disregard for God's authority, and the penalty 
thus incurred. 

The peril which attends loss of Sabbath worship 
and instruction. 

The formation of evil companionships. 

Baleful influence over others. 

The reproaches through all Eternity of those thus 
led astray. 

Overtaxed energies, a troubled conscience, an 
offended God, severe judgements, a Christless death, 
the loss of the soul, and eternal despair. 

The sin and penalty both are more terrible when 
the transgressor is a professed Christian. 

Would you like to know how the Sabbath-breaker 
formerly was punished ? Turn to Numbers xv. 32-36, 
which tells us: 

"And while the children of Israel were in the wilder- 
ness, they found a man gathering sticks upon the sab- 
bath day. And they that found him gathering sticks 
brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the 
congregation. And they put him in ward, because it 
had not been declared what should be done to him. And 
the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall surely be put 
to death: all the congregation shall stone him with 
stones without the camp. And all the congregation 
brought him without the camp, and stoned him with 
stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses." 

Sabbath-breaker, will you not listen to Him who 
says: "Him that cometh unto me J. v/ill in no wise 



FOURTH RIVER— SABBATH BREAKING. 31 

cast out"? He is able to save, willing to save, 
promises to save, came to save, is saving millions, 
and will save 3^ou if you will renounce sin, come 
to Him and trust Him to save you. Nozv is the 
accepted time. Now is the day of salvation. O 
yield at once. 

A young man sick of his wild career had resolved 
to live a different life, and had turned his steps toward 
the house of God. 

Just as he was about to enter, an old chum saw 
him, and prevailed upon him to go wnth him to a 
Sunday resort. 

On the return home he fell from the train, and was 
crushed and soon died. 

While dying he called for the false friend who had 
turned his steps unto the fatal snare of the Sabbath- 
breaker, and as his life-blood was oozing away, he 
fixed his eyes upon him and said: 

' ' That was bad business, Joe, you taking me away 
from church. When I 'm dead, I want you to tell the 
bovs that it was drink and Sabbath-breaking that did 
it, and while you are telling them 77/ be in hell, and 
you'll be to blame for it.'' 



REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY. 

Rena Ray, in Michigan Christian Advocate. 

A young lad, the only child of a widow, came from 
a home of beauty and wealth in the city to a rural 
town in which I lived, to spend the summer, that he 



32 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

might roam at pleasure over the green fields and hills, 
and receive health from the fresh, invigorating air 

He was a sprightly, clever boy, and won the heart 
of everyone that saw him. He was always in motion, 
running, hopping, shouting, and singing, and his 
power of imitation was so rare that he could mimic 
surprisingly the birds, lambs, calves, and even the 
clatter of the mill. Indeed, every sound that he 
heard was re-echoed by him, and thus he passed the 
time merrily away. 

I was a year older, and of a graver turn than he, 
but I loved him so well, though, that I would have 
spent all my time with him if I could. 

One Sabbath morning — I shall never forget that 
morning — I started out alone for church, my mother 
being ill and my father abroad. I walked briskly 
along at first, for the bells were chiming and the 
organ was pealing out solemnly on the air; but by and 
by I stopped to listen to the birds that were singing 
cheerily among the trees. While I was listening, the 
cool west wind fanned my cheeks, and I cast my eyes 
wistfully over the green fields toward the river and 
the beautiful hills, and although a still, small voice 
whispered, "Remember the Sabbath day," I yielded 
to temptation, and went astray. 

But I did not go astray alone; no, I met with Ned 
Darley, the boy from the city, who was on his way to 
church, and I persuaded him to go with me over the 
green fields down to the river, to spend the hours of 
sacred rest in quest of diversion and pleasure. 

Ned loved the river, so did I; loved to wander be- 



FOURTH RIVER— SABBATH BREAKING. 33 

side it, to skip stones over it, to watch the frogs, to 
catch the fish, to wade and to swim in it. But we 
had not come prepared to fish, and we soon grew 
tired of skipping stones and watching the frogs, so we 
went into the water. At first, we only waded hither 
and thither, splashing the water gayly about, and 
singing and shouting in the joy of our hearts. But 
by and by, Ned took to diving and swimming and 
performing little fantastic evolutions. 

He moved about with such ease and grace that it 
seemed as if the water must be his native element; 
but suddenly he shrieked wildly, put his hand to his 
head, and sank beneath the wave. I was wild with 
terror, and I cried out despairingly. It was all I 
could do. Alas, I could not save him. 

Many years have passed by since then, but the 
boy drowned in the river haunts me like a specter. 
His cry rings ever in my ear, and I think ever with 
sorrow that if I had remembered the Sabbath day, 
poor Ned Darley would be living now, and his mother 
would not have died broken-hearted. 

Oh, friends, when you are tempted to withdraw 
your foot from the house of worship, and wander off 
in pursuit of diversion and pleasure, think of my life- 
long anguish and remorse, and remember the Sabbath 
day. 



CHAPTER VII, 

FIFTH RIVER OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 

" Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days 
may be long upon the land which the Lord thy Grod 
giveth thee." — Ex. xx. 12. 

" Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his 
mother." — Duet, xxvii. 16. 

"And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall 
be surely put to death." — Ex. xxi. 15. 

" Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this 
is right." — Eph, vi. 1. 

If you had a map of the Geography of the spiritual 
world you would find one of the most terrible Streams 
which flow into the River of Death is named, Disobe- 
dience to Parents. 

One of the great dangers of this Stream is that so 
many children fall into it. In fact, it is one of the^ 
very first Streams into which children fall, unless they 
are very carefully trained. If you have parents who 
have kept you from its fatal flood you ought to shout 
for joy and run and give them an extra hug and kiss. 

Parents are the natural God-appointed protectors, 
teachers and governors of their own children. How 

34 



FIFTH RIVER— OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 35 

good of God to thus shield and care for you when 
you are unable to care for yourself. If sin had not 
entered the world and deranged it, doubtless children 
would never have felt like breaking this Command- 
ment. God gives the following promises to all who 
keep it: 

Length of life; live "long upon the land." This 
embraces an inheritance in the "Land of Salvation" 
and also on earth with those of whom Jesus said: 

" Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the 
earth."— Matt. v. 5. 

God's favor — "This is well pleasing to God" 
(Eph. V. 20). 

"The consciousness of doing right" (Eph. vi. 
1-16). 

Prosperity — "That it may be well with thee, 
and thou mayest live long on the earth" (Eph. vi. 3). 

The only exception to Obedience to Parents is 
where they com.mand to do wrong. In such cases 
the command of God is plain, and children should 
follow His instructions, given in Ezekiel xx. 18: 

" I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk 
ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe 
their judgements, nor defile yourselves with their idols." 

If parents command to steal, or swear, or lie, or 
cheat, or murder, or to marry unconverted persons, 
or anything else which God clearly forbids, their 
authority should be kindly but firmly resisted, even if 



?>(i THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

punishment or martyrdom is the result. If you obey 
them should they command you to disobey God, then 
they would be your idols, and you would be guilty of 
Idolatry. 

Upon loyalty to this Commandment rests largely 
obedience to government and to God. 

Faithful children make faithful citizens and faith- 
ful Christians. 

"Without natural affection" is one of the marks 
of apostasy from God, while true religion "turns the 
hearts of fathers to the children, and the hearts of 
children to their fathers." 

To violate this Law is to incur as severe a penalty 
as of any other of the Commandments. 

Children break it and fall into the River in the 
following ways: 

By open disobedience. 

By disregarding their parents' wishes. 

By treating their counsels lightly. 

By being unthankful for their favors. 

By being disrespectful and saucy to them. 

By calling them "the old folks" or kindred un- 
seemly names. 

By jesting about their old-fashioned wa3's or 
speeches. 

By being ashamed of their company. 

By neglecting them when in need. 

By living so as to bring a reproach upon them. 

By joining in conversation against them. 

By refusing to ask forgiveness when they have 
wronged them. 



FIFTH RIVER— OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. :i7 

By giving to others the love and honor and obedi- 
ence which is due their parents only. 

By being discontented with them. 

By running away from home. 

In these and other ways this Law may be violated 
and its awful penalty incurred. 

Among the results of its violation are the following: 

A guilty conscience. 

Disrespect for all law and restraint. 

Yielding to other sins. 

Trouble and disappointment. 

An offended God. 

Unless rescued b}^ the Life-boat of Salvation, an 
endless hell. 

A disobedient child is like- 

A serpent which stings the man who saves it. 

A man who turns traitor to the government which 
protects him". 

A lunatic who would burn the house that shelters 
him. 

A man who would sow brambles and look to reap 
grain. 

All who claim the salvation which makes the keep- 
ing of this and all the other Commandments a delight 
shall live long " upon the land which the Lord thy God 
giveth '' and shall be like the ' ' sun when he goeth forth 
in his might." 

Jesus was subject to His parents when a child, 
and among His last acts He provided for His aged 
mother. 

Happy are they who follow in His steps. 



as THE RIVER OF DEATH. 



JOHNNY'S OWN WAY. 

Selected. 

Johnny wanted very much to "help" his mother 
bake pies one morning. So she gave him a piece 
of dough, the cover of a starch box for a pastry 
board, and a clothes pin for a rolling pin. When he 
had rolled so hard that his face was very red, he put 
his little pie on the stove hearth to bake; and then he 
saw the pretty soft steam puffing out of the kettle. 
He tried to catch it in his hand, but it flew away. 
Then he put his finger near the nose of the kettle. 
His mother saw him and cried: 

"Oh, Johnny, take care, or you'll burn your fin- 
gers, my dear! " 

"Steam can't burn!" cried Johnny. "Only fire 
burns." 

' ' You must not try it. Believe me, it will burn 
you. Do stop, Johnny! " 

"Oh, dear, " cried Johnny, "why can't I have 
my own way sometimes! I do like my own way! 
When I am a big man I mean to stand and poke my 
fingers in the tea-kettle all day, sometimes, and have 
my own way, and — " 

Poor Johnny did not wait to become a big man to 
do this; a scream of pain told that he had his own 
way already. 

The little white fingers were sadly burned, and 
for hours Johnny screamed and jumped about so that 
his mother could hardly hold him on her lap 

"Oh! oh! oh! what shall I do! Oh, dear 



FIFTH RIVER— OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 39 

mamma, I '11 never have my own way again as long 
as I live! When I'm a great man I '11 never put my 
tingers in a tea-kettle. Oh, dear, dear! " 

Take care, little folks, how you take your own 
way; there are worse foes in the world than Johnny's 
steam. Your parents are wiser than you, and they love 
you too well to deny you any harmless pleasure. — 



BENNIE. 

Domestic Journal. 

He was only -ten, and small of his age, but he 
was a herb, and fought his battle and died a victor 
before his eleventh birthday. Like many other dying 
mothers, Bennie's had left this message, "Take care 
of father"; and Bennie had answered, "I will, 
mother." 

And he kept his promise. The gaunt wolf of 
poverty was always lurking near the threshold of the 
desolate room which Bennie called "home." But 
the brave child would not allow him to enter. He 
could not do much, but he fought him off with all the 
strength he possessed. He helped a larger boy sell 
papers whenever he could get away from watching his 
father; he did errands; he held horses; he sold apples 
for an old woman who had the corner stand; in fact, 
he did "what he could," and trusted God for the rest. 
In winter's cold or summer's heat he was always to be 
found at night in the vicinity of a saloon which his 
father visited. Whether it was eight or nine or ten 



40 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

or eleven o'clock when his father reeled out, the faith- 
ful child was always ready to lead him home safely. 
His reward was usually curses, sometimes blows; but 
Bennie did not murmur; he would keep his promise, 
whatever his father chose to do. 

When Thomas Dunn, Bennie's father, was sober, 
he seemed to care for his little boy — once even going 
so far as to put his hand gently upon his head and 
say, with a half sob, as if realizing the child's 
neglected condition, "Poor boy! poor little Bennie! " 
But Thomas Dunn's sober intervals were getting rare. 

Bennie, weary and heart-broken, began to fear 
that the wolf must cross their threshold, for it took 
all of his time now to "take care of father." He 
was always staggering around somewhere, or stumb- 
ling over something; he seemed to need Bennie every 
moment. One day, as the two were crossing the 
street, the staggering man fell, and Bennie's full 
strength was used to pull him to a place of safety. 
In another moment Bennie's feet were crushed out of 
all shape as two runaway horses drawing a heavy 
carriage trampled over him. He was picked up 
gently and taken to a hospital, whither his sobered 
father followed him. 

Terrible days followed — days of physical agony to 
Bennie; days of mental torture to his repentant 
father. One evening just at dusk Bennie opened his 
eyes, in which the light of reason once more shone. 
A look of wonder was on his patient face. In the 
gloaming he could see the hospital surgeon sitting 
beside him. What did it mean } 



FIFTH RIVER— OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 41 

•■'Why am I here?" he asked, his voice faint and 
trembling. 

"You were injured, my boy, and we had to 
perform an operation," answered a gentle voice. 

"What was the operation?" his voice trembling 
with fear. 

"Your feet were amputated, my poor child." 

"Cut off, sir, do you mean?" 

" Yes — cut off." 

' ' Oh, sir, what will become of father ? I promised 
mother I 'd take care of him, and — and — " 

"Don't think about that now, Bennie, " said the 
surgeon, his voice shaken with sobs. 

"But Yvmst think about it, sir; father '11 be under 
the horses' feet, an' mebbe be killed, an' he ain't 
ready to die. Couldn't I have crutches, sir, an' go 
an' find father ? " 

Some one whom he had not noticed in the dusk 
was kneeling at the foot of the bed; the person now 
crept nearer, and a voice shaken with sobs said, 
"You don't need the crutches, Bennie, lad; father's 
here, and he'll never leave you." 

It was even so; over the faithful child's crushed 
feet the dissipated father had found his way to the 
Cross. 

Bennie died that night. His last words, looking 
up with a smile, were, "Mother! O mother! I kept 
m/ promise; / did take care of fatJiery 



43 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 



THANK GOD FOR MOTHER. 

Herald and Presbyter. 

After one of the hard-fought battles of the war, a 
Confederate chaplain was called hastily to see a dying 
soldier. Taking his hand, he said: "Well, my 
brother, what can I do for you ?" 

He supposed the young fellow would want to cry 
to God for help in his extremity; but it was not so. 

"Chaplain," said he, "I want you to cut a lock 
of hair for my mother; and then, chaplain, I want 
you to kneel down, and return thanks to God for me." 

"For what?" asked the chaplain. 

' ' For giving me such a mother. Oh, she is a 
good mother. Her teachings are my comfort now. 
And then, chaplain, thank God that by His grace I 
am a Christian. What would I do now if I were not 
a Christian 1 And thank God for giving me dying 
grace. He has made this hard bed feel 'soft as 
downy pillows are. ' And, O chaplain, thank Him 
for the promised home in glory — I '11 soon be there." 

"And so," said the chaplain, "I kneeled by his 
bed with not a petition to utter, only praises and 
thanksgiving for a good mother, a Christian hope, 
dying grace, and an eternal home in glory." 



PAID IN HIS OWN COIN. 
If children ill-treat their parents they may expect 
the results to come back upon themselves in similar 
acts from their own offspring. 



FIFTH RIVER— OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 43 

A certain son treated his aged and dependent 
father very unkindly. He would not allow him to 
have his meals with the family, and compelled him to 
eat with a wooden spoon. 

Seeing his own little boy whittling one day, he 
asked him what he was making. The innocent 
though cutting answer was: 

"I'm making a spoon for you to eat with when 
you get old like you make grandpa eat with now." 

Surely "with what measure ye mete, it shall be 
measured unto you." 



"I KNOW A THING OR TWO." 

Selected. 

*'My dear boy," said a father to his only son, 
' ' you are in bad company. The lads with whom you 
associate indulge in bad habits. They drink, smoke, 
swear, and, I am afraid, they gamble. They are not 
safe company for you. I beg you to quit their society. " 

**You need not be afraid of me, father," replied 
the boy, laughingly. ' ' I guess I know a thing or 
two. I know how far to go and when to stop." 

The lad left his father's house, twirling his cane in 
his fingers and laughing at the "old man's notions." 

A few years later, and that lad, grown to man- 
hood, stood at the bar of a court, before a jury which 
had just brought in a verdict of guilty against him for 
some crime in which he had been concerned. 

Before he was sentenced he addressed the court 
and said, among other things: " My downward course 



U THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

began in disobedience to my parents. I thought I 
knew as much as my father, and I spurned his advice; 
but as soon as I turned my back upon my home, 
temptations came upon me like a drove of hyenas 
and hurried lui into ruin." 

Mark that, boys, you who think you are wise 
enough to do without father's advice. Do n't disobey 
your parents, I beg of you, do n't. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

SIXTH RIVER — MURDER. 

"Thou Shalt do no murder." — Ex. xx. 13. 

God loves everyone. He so loves that He has 
made a Law punishing with eternal death any person 
that shall kill another. 

Is it not terrible that man who was created in the 
image of God should -fall so low and become so cruel 
and wicked that, worse than a wild beast, he will 
take the life of another ? 

The Stream of Murder that flows into the River 
of Death is red with blood. Satan delights in push- 
ing people into it, and sets many surprises which lead 
them there. 

God forbids all people from sailing on this Stream. 
He warns them of the awful danger, and if they spurn 
His warning they do so at the peril of their souls. 

People fall into the fatal floods of these deadly 
waters in the following ways : 

By killing their fellow men, by poison, by sword, 
by bullet, or in other ways. 

By doing this deliberately or in a passion of anger. 

By taking their own lives, — rsuicide. 

By. inducing others to kill. 

By exposing others to needless danger, as David 
did Uriah. 

46 



4() THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

By shortening their own lives through the use of 
liquor, tobacco, opium and kindred poisonous drugs. 
By manufacture, sale or license of these. 

By knowingly overworking employes. 

By taking human, life in any of its stages. 

By hatred in the heart: "He that hateth his 
brother is a murderer." 

Reader, do you realize that, if in your heart you 
have hatred toward anyone, in God's sight you are 
just as really a murderer as though you were convicted 
of the crime and on your way to the scaffold. 

By soul-murder, i. c, neglecting to warn the 
wicked when God commands it. 

" When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die ; 
and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn 
the wicked from his wicked way , to save his life ; the same 
wicked man shall die in his iniquity ; BUT HIS BLOOD 
WILL I REQUIRE AT THINE HAND."— Ezek. iii. 18. 

Thus God teaches that for souls lost whom we 
might have saved had we obeyed Him we will be 
guilty of murder. 

By secret sins which sap the ver}^ source of Hfe. 

By dueling and prize fighting. 

By wars, contrary to the New Testament. 

By becoming slaves of lust. 

The murderer is possessed of the very nature 
of Satan himself, for it is declared he was "a mur- 
derer from the beginning," and God says, "No mur- 
derer hath eternal life abiding in him," and that 
murderers, with others who have broken His laws and 



SIXTH RIVER— MURDER. 47 

rejected His Gospel, must ''have their part in the 
lake that burneth with fire and brimstone." He also 
teaches that murder is a disease of the heart, as well 
as an act of the life ; therefore your heart must be 
right in order to save from the disease. 

Two little boys were once playing. Suddenly one 
became very angry and kicked his playmate just 
as hard as he could — so hard that in a little while he 
died from the effects of the kick, and the little boy 
l)ecame a guilty murderer, to be borne by the swiftl\' 
rushing tide on this fatal Stream into the River of 
Death and over the Falls of Eternal Despair, unless 
rescued by Jesus. - 

I once visited a prisoner who was confined await- 
ing execution. The day of his death was fixed, and in 
less than three weeks he was to be launched into 
eternity for murder. Christian friends had labored 
with him and he professed conversion. I probed him 
deeply to test the reality of his conversion, and he 
met every test. In answer to searching questions he 
said that he was heartily sorry for his sins, had re- 
nounced them all in heart, would make wrongs right 
if possible, accepted Jesus as his Saviour, felt that he 
deserved punishment, prayed for his enemies, and had 
confessed Christ before his fellow prisoners. 

He was asked: "If the governor would come 
and offer you a pardon on the condition you would 
give up your hope in Christ, what would you do .-* " 

With strong emphasis he said : '' F d stick to my 
religion.^' 

His keeper was moved to tears. 



48 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

The prisoner united with us in a fervent prayer, 
and touchingly asked God's blessing upon those who 
had brought him to the Word of Life. He was exe- 
ciited in a few days. 

Thus, now, as in the days of Jesus, many crimin- 
als go into the Kingdom before the self-righteous Phari- 
sees, and it is proved that Jesus is able and willing 
"to save to the uttermost" all "that draw near 
unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make 
intercession for them." 

God will help us all to walk in the light of it. 
While no one who has fallen into this Stream can es- 
cape by his own strength or that of any other human 
being, yet God can rescue as easily as from any other 
of Sin's awful Rivers. He can save. He has saved, 
multitudes of murderers, for Jesus says : 

'' Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast him 
out." 



CHAPTER IX. 

SEVENTH RIVER ADULTERY. 

"Thou Shalt not commit adultery." — Ex. xx. 14. 

Adultery is the name of another of the black 
Rivers down which Satan is sending multitudes to 
doom.. 

He has lured many to launch upon it by keeping 
from them needed warnings of its danger. 

He has also planted many seemingly innocent 
pleasures close to its side so as to disguise it as much 
as possible. 

God forbids sailing upon its waters. He does this 
because He knows its fearful perils and because He 
loves the health and purity of human beings. 

His Commandment against Adultery forbids all 
lust in thought, and word and life. 

People break this Law in the following ways: 

By living together as if they are married when 
they* are not. 

By secret lustful sins. 

By marrying divorced persons. 

By lustful looks, lustful thoughts, lustful imagina- 
tions (Matt. V. 28). 

In the above and other ways, many have entered 

the treacherous sin-boat of Adultery and been forever 

lost. 

49 



50 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

The following are some of the places where tickets 
are purchased for this fatal ride: 

The ball room, the theater, the bar room, and 
the brothel. It is said that nine-tenths of the ruined 
characters of New York City began their career by 
dancing. At private dances and the theater evil 
associations are often formed, and there exposures 
of the person and lude allusions awaken lustful pas- 
sions. 

Over the paths that approach this River Satan 
has built many enchanting bowers, and posts the 
words, "No harm," on every side. 

The following are some of the fearful lightnings 
thjat leap upon those who break this Law and are 
borne on to their fearful future: 

A troubled conscience. 

The wrath of God Almighty. 

Remorse and disease. 

Disgrace and shame. 

Ruined homes. 

A Christless death and an eternal hell. 

He who commits this sin is: 

Like the serpent who stings itself to death. 

Like insects which persist in flying into a fire at 
the expense of their wings and life. 

Like a person who is enchanted by the charms of 
a serpent, only to be crushed in its fatal folds. 

Like one who would drink poison, because the 
liquid in which it is mixed is pleasant to the taste. 

Like a person who, to gratify a whim, would burn 
his own house and that of his neighbor. 



SEVENTH RIVER— ADULTERY. 51 

Like the man who was doomed to kiss an image 
of a beautiful virgin, and as he kissed was thrust 
through with many sharp daggers which sprung forth 
from it. 

As you grow into manhood and womanhood, be- 
ware lest you fall into the waters of this River. 



CHAPTER X. 



EIGHTH RIVER STEALING, 



'*Thou Shalt not steal."— Ex. xx. 15. 

The name of the eighth River down which Satan 
is drifting multitudes of young and old into the River 
of Death is Stealing. 

This sin, like the others which have been named, 
is so awful in God's sight that he declares that those 
who are guilty of it "destroy themselves" (Prov. 
xxi. 7); that it brings a curse upon all who com- 
mit it (Hosea iv. 2, 3); that it brings the wrath 
of God upon them (Ezek. xxii. 29-31), and that it 
excludes from heaven (I. Cor. vi. 10). 

Would you like to know how people were treated 
who stole under the Mosaic law ? The following 
verses explain: 

'* If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, 
or sell it ; he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four 
sheep for a sheep. If the thief be found breaking in, 
and be smitten that he die, there shall be no blood- 
guiltiness for him. If the sun be risen upon him, 
there shall be bloodguiltiness for him: he should 
make restitution ; if he have nothing, then he shall be 
sold for his theft. If the theft bo found in his hand 



EIGHTH RIVER— STEALING. 53 

alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall 
pay double." — Ex. xxii. 1-4. 

Stealing, like all other sins, has its root in selfish- 
ness. If we love others as we do ourselves we surely 
will never steal anything away from them. 

Satan is very artful in his efforts to entice people 
to the perilous banks of the River of Death. 

When you have been tempted to take something 
that did not belong to you, like an apple, or a lump of 
sugar, have you not heard Satan whisper, "No one 
will see you or find it out " ? He would have you for- 
get that God sees you all the while, knows everything 
you do, and that nothing can be hid from Him. ' 

Then sometimes He tries to make folks believe 
that it is not very wrong to steal little things, because 
He feels sure if He can get them to steal little things 
first it will not be long before they will steal more 
largely. 

When I was a little boy I read in a paper the fol- 
lowing lines : 

" It is a sin to steal a pin, 
But 'tis greater to steal a 'tater; 
He who steals a copper 
Is guilty of a whopper." 

Now, these lines are as black a lie as Satan ever 
told, for the person who really steals a pin is just 
as actually a thief as the one who steals a million 
dollars. 

No matter how little it may be, if you take things 
that belong to other people, which you would not 



54 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

have taken had their eyes been upon you, that is 
steahng, and we must remember that it is not only 
steaUng, but that God Himself sees it and that it 
is written down as with ' ' a pen of iron and the point 
of a diamond," and will sink your soul into the awful 
River of Death unless it be forgiven. 

It is an awful thing for a soul to be drifting in this 
Stream, and still more awful to be drifting there if it 
feels it is safe. 

Are you willing to look into this matter carefully 
and prayerfully, as you will wish you had at the Day 
of Judgement, and see whether or no you are in this 
River ? 

There are, no doubt, multitudes of people who are 
in it who think they are not. Are we among that 
number ? Let us see. 

All who are guilty of the following things are 
drifting in this deadly Stream: 

Taking property from others v/hich you would not 
had they known it. 

Cheating in any way, such as giving short weights 
and measures. 

By adulterating goods. 

By pretending goods sold are better than they 
really are. 

Many are guilty of this crime, not only in selling 
goods, but in selhng horses, cattle, fruit, etc. 

By needlessly taking the time of others. If other 
people are very busy and you are idle, and compel 
them to leave their work and let it suffer to visit with 



EIGHTH RIVER— STEALING. 55 

you, you are stealing their time. This is robbery as 
really as breaking- into a bank. 

All forgery is stealing. 

It is stealing to tell lies about a person to hurt his 
reputation. 

To needlessly injure the reputation of another is 
robbery of the basest sort, for, as the poet says: 

"Who steals my purse steals trash; .... 
But he who robs me of my good name, 
Takes from me that which not enriches him, 
But leaves me poor indeed." 

Writing or telling things that have been written or 
said by other people and pretending they are original, 
is stealing. Jeremiah refers to this when he says: 

" I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that 
steal my words everyone from his neighbour." — Jer. 
xxiii. 30. 

Preachers, editors, and all who thus appropriate 
the words of others are theives. 

Going in debt without the probability of paying is 
a very mean kind of stealing. 

Using money for yourself that others have en- 
trusted to you in business transactions is stealing. 

Suppose one of your playmates sells you one dol- 
lar's worth of peanuts with the understanding that you 
would have twenty-five cents of the dollar to pay for 
selling them and pay him the other seventy-tive 
cents. If you spend any of the seventy-five cents, 
which belongs to him, for yourself, you are stealing, 
the same as if you took it from his pocket-book. 



5C THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

The same is true in selling anything else on com- 
mission. It is stealing for you to use money which 
should be returned to the person who entrusted you 
with the goods. 

It is stealing to take time that belongs to another. 
If you agree for certain wages to work a certain num- 
ber of hours per day every day, and then begin late 
or idle away the time, or stop before the hours 
are gone, you have stolen just so much time from the 
person who employs you, and are just as really a thief 
as if you had stolen his money. 

Compelling employes to work overtime without 
extra pay is stealing. Oppressing the hireling in 
his wages is stealing (Mai. iii. 5). 

Refusing to do unto others as you would be done 
by, is robbing them of their rights. 

Using other people's mone}^ without their knowl- 
edge or consent is stealing. 

Cheating employers out of time by tardiness, or 
short hours, or indolence, is stealing. 

Cheating in playing marbles and other games 
is stealing. 

Gambling and church lotteries are stealing. 

Deceiving people, and then taking advantage of 
them to get their property, or injure or ruin them, is 
stealing. 

In all the above and many other ways people steal 
from their fellow beings. 

Now I want to ask one question: 

Is it not just as wrong for a child to steal from 
pari' Jits as from brothers and sisters f 



EIGHTH RIVER— STEALING, 57 

You say, certainly it is. 

Then it must be just as wrong to steal from 
God as from our fellow men, or even more so ; 
yet, many people who would disdain to steal from 
others are all the while stealing from God. 

All who are guilty of the following things are 
stealing from God, and in the Death-Boat of Robbery 
are sweeping down this awful River to certain death. 
God owns everything. This earth is His and all the 
fulness of it. The cattle upon a thousand hills. He 
who claims to hold property in his own right instead 
of holding it as the steward of God, is a thief. 

If you refuse to use the influence which God has 
given you over those around you, you are robbing God 
of that influence. 

If you break the holy Sabbath day instead of 
keeping it as He commands, you are robbing God 
of His time! 

Spending money for tobacco or whisky or other 
harmful things instead of using it as He directs is 
robbing God. 

If you waste the physical strength He has given 
you in idleness or harmful pleasures or secret \ices, 
you are robbing God of that strength. 

To neglect to give as God prospers you for the sup- 
port of the Gospel is robbing Him. 

When His people refused to give their tenth He 
sent a prophet co them who said they had robbed 
Him in tithes and offerings, and told them to restore 
and He would open the windows of heaven and pour 



58 THE RIVER OF DEATH, 

them out a blessing that there would not be room to 
receive it. 

If you seek salvation by some other way than by 
the way of the cross, you are guilty of this sin, for 
Jesus declares: 

" Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth 
not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth 
up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." — 
Jno. X. 1. 

Whether that other way be by your good works or 
self-righteousness, or because you say you are not very 
bad, or because you have been baptized and belong 
to the church; no matter what it may be, if it is not 
by Jesus, the Door, He says you are a thief and 
a robber. 

If you refuse to work in God's vineyard, then you 
rob yourself and God's cause of all the blessed results 
which would have followed such obedience. 

It is an awful thing thus to rob God. Reader, are 
you guilty ? If so, does it awaken you and lead you 
to cry out to God for help, or has Satan so drugged 
your soul with the chloroform of indifference that 
it does not alarm you, or bring grief over such a sin ? 

Did you ever before realize that, while you are 
thinking you are being good, really in God's sight you 
are a thief and a robber, and instead of your being 
borne heavenward you are being borne down the 
River of Robbery toward your certain doom. 

Yet remember, even such may be forgiven. 
Though our sins may have surpassed those of the 



EIGHTH RIVER— STEALING. ^ 59 

thief upon the cross, the fact that Jesus heard his cry 
and saved his soul brings hope to us. 

This sin is a hot coal that must be laid aside or it 
will burn the soul forever. 



THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 

Florence M. Gzuinu. 

"Oh, mamma, what do you think Miss Douglass 
is going to talk about at our meeting next Saturday' 
afternoon.?" said little Fay Leighton, as she came 
running into the sitting-room, where Mrs. Leighton 
was taking a rest after a busy forenoon's work. 

" I am sure I can not guess, dearie, " answered her 
mother, as she tenderly brushed the bright golden 
curls off the little flushed face. 

' ' Why, about * Thou shalt not steal. ' I am very 
sure we girls would never think of doing such a 
wicked thing as that," said Fay. 

' ' Miss Douglass is always very careful to choose a 
subject which will benefit you, and no doubt she has 
some wise plan in view, my dear. .If you like, I will 
tell you a true story." 

"Oh, yes, please do, mamma," begged Fay. 

' ' Well, bring your chair here beside me. 

' ' Many years ago a little girl went with her mother 
one day to visit a neighbor. The country where 
Lilly lived, for that was the little girl's name, was very 
new, and she had no nice toys like you to play with, 
not even a rag doll, for her mamma was always 



60 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

f'oo busy to find time to make one. It was impossible 
to buy such a thing as a toy at the country store 
where her papa did his deaUng, even if they had 
had the money to spare. Thus you see, dearie, Lilly 
had to be contented to play with flowers, mosses, and 
the little acorn cups which she found in the woods. 
Sometimes she would play for hours in the sand, and 
it was great fun to build a mountain, or scoop out 
a well, or make a wide desert, or a little crooked fur 
row for a brook. There was no end of things she 
could do with the sand. 

"Well, on this day of which I speak, Mrs. Beach, 
at whose house the}' were visiting, gave Lilly a little 
sugar bowl to play with. Lilly thought she had never 
seen anything quite so pretty. How she longed to 
have it for her very own, and after while the wish to 
possess it became so very strong, that Lilly thought 
to herself: ' Now if I put this little bowl into my 
pocket and take it home with me, Mrs. Beach will 
never miss it, and if she does she will think that 
it has been mislaid. ' But a small, still voice, which 
we call conscience, and which is God's voice in 
the heart, whispered softly to Lilly: ' If you take the 
bowl it will be stealing, and how can you say your 
prayers to-night .'' Then you will not enjoy playing 
with it, for it will remind you of your sin.' Fo: 
a long time Lilly hesitated, but at last determined 
to obey the voice of conscience. She put the bowl 
up on the cupboard, and soon after was playing mer- 
rily with the baby. Our hearts are always light 
when we do what is right. As they were getting 



EIGHTH RIVER— STEALING. 61 

ready to go home, Mrs. Beach, taking the cup in her 
hand, said: 'You can have this, Lilly. It belonged to 
a little set of dishes mother gave me when a child. ' 
You can imagine how thankful Lilly was then that she 
had not stolen the little bowl. It was a lesson that 
she never forgot." 

"Did you know that little girl, mamma .'^" asked 
Fay. 

"Very well, indeed, for it was myself." 

"Oh, mamma, I never thought of your name be- 
ing Lilly," cried Fay. 

"And, dearie, there are things we can steal more 
valuable than^old or silver. If we wrongfully injure 
the good name of our playmates, we steal their good 
character from them. No doubt Miss Douglass will 
tell you all about it at your meeting." 



CHAPTER XL 

NINTH RIVER LYING. 

"Thou Shalt not bear false witness against thy 
neighbour."— Ex. xx. 16. 

A Lie is any false statement made with a design to 
deceive. 

Lying is one of the most dreadful Streams which 
feed the River of Death. 

The devil himself is the father of Lies, and all 
Liars have his nature. 

God forbids Lying in all its forms, and the Bible 
declares that it is an abomination to Him ; a hindrance 
to prayer, and the sin of hypocrites. 

Satan would have people think that there are 
little Lies and big Lies, black Lies and white Lies; 
but this is untrue. A good man has rightly said that 
"a Lie that is half the truth is ever the blackest of 
Lies. " 

One Lie makes a person a Liar until it is forgiven 
by God, and washed away through the Blood of 
Jesus. 

As God declares that "all liars have their part in 
the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone," it is 
of great importance that we r11 see to it that we are 
saved from this awful vice. 

It is one of the Sin Boats in which Satan is sink- 

«3 



NINTH RIVER— LYING. 63 

in^ multitudes in the River of Death, and sweeping 
them over the Falls of Eternal Despair into the fear^ 
ful place where Jesus says there is "weeping and 
wailing and gnashing of teeth," where "their worm 
dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." 

God loves the truth and hates shams of every 
kind, and all Liars are shams of the worst description. 
We must hate Lies like God hates them if w^e would 
be His children. 

As it is the business of Satan to deceive people, 
}oung and old, in regard to this and every other sin, 
we will need to study the matter very closely in order 
to be sure he is not deceiving us. 

The following are some of the ways in which 
people are guilty of this sin: 

By stating things which are untrue in order to 
deceive. 

B}' just making belie\'e for the sake of making 
money or making sport, or concerning something 
wrong. 

By making engagements which they know they 
can not keep. 

By pretending goods are better than they really are. 

Lies may be acted as well as spoken, and an acted 
Lie is just as wicked in God's sight as one that falls 
from the lips. 

By pretending to be all right when one knows he 
is all wrong. 

By being silent. If \ou hear a Lie told about 
someone else and do not deny it you make the Lie 
vour own. 



64 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

If you repeat a Lie which another has told, know- 
ing it to be such, you are a Liar as really as the one 
who first told it. 

By sending word to callers that you are not at 
home, when you do not wish to see them. 

By professing to be right with God when not keep- 
ing His commandments. 

" He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his 
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 
— I. John ii. 4. 

By professing to have no need of cleansing from 
sin, when not cleansed. See I. John i. 8-10. 

By saying we have fellowship with God, and walk- 
ing in darkness. 

" If we say that we have fellowship with him, and 
walk in the darkness, we lie." — 1. John i. 6. 

As people may steal from God, so they, may Lie to 
Him. Is it less wicked to Lie to Him than to man ? 

People Lie to God when they promise they will 
serve Him if He will do certain things for them, and 
then refuse to do so. 

They Lie to God by breaking the promises which 
they make when converted, and by breaking the bap- 
tismal covenant in which they promise to ' * forsake 
the vain pomp and glory of this world, and all covet- 
ous desires for the same, so they will not follow nor 
be led by them," 

People who do this and then go to the circus. 



NINTH RIVER— LYING. 66 

the theater, the dance, and such worldly places, are 
guilty of this sin. 

By breaking their church covenant, in which they 
have promised to be ''cheerfully governed" by the 
rules of the church and to "keep God's command- 
ments. " 

By breaking the marriage covenant, in which they 
have promised to love and protect each other "so 
long as they both shall live." 

By breaking death-bed covenants, in which they 
have promised loved ones they would lead Christian 
lives and meet them in heaven. 

By promising to do some duty and then refusing 
to do it. 

By promising God to give a certain amount for 
His cause, and then, like Ananias and Sapphira, refus- 
ing to do so. 

By promising to preach or go as missionary and 
then neglecting to do so. 

These are a few of the ways in which people 
manifest the devil nature which sin has given them, 
and Lie to God and man, and thus drift over the Falls 
of Eternal Despair to spend an eternity with him 
who is the father of Lies. 

God wants to save everyone from all sin and its 
awful consequences. 

The Life Boat is pressing close and hard to all 
who are in this fatal flood. 

Many who once were Liars have been saved from 
this awful sin and now are full of praise to Him who 
has redeemed them. 



66 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

"Wherefore, . . . speak ye truth each one with his 
neighbour." — Eph. iv. 25. 



ACTING A LIE. 

Kbcn E. Rexford, in N'. V. Observer. 

Dolly had been told never to meddle with a beauti- 
ful vase that stood on a bracket, over the piano. " It 
will break very easily," her mother said. Now Dolly 
has an intense desire to take the vase down and 
examine it — probably because she has been told not 
to do so. One day when she was alone she made up 
her mind to gratify her curiosity. She took the vase 
down without injuring it, but on trying to put it back the 
bracket slipped off its nail and the vase fell and broke 
into a dozen pieces. Dolly was frightened. As she 
stood there trying to think her way out of the dilemma, 
her kitten came into the room. 

"I'll shut Spotty into the room, and mamma 11 
think she did it," decided Dolly, "and Spotty can 't 
tell." 

So the kitten was shut up in the parlor, and when 
Dolly's mother came home she found Spotty there 
and the vase broken. 

"Do you s'pose Spotty did it.^"' asked Dolly. 

"I think she might have done so," answered her 
mother. ' ' You do n't know anything about it, do 
you.?" 

Dolly pretended that she did n't hear the question, 
and got out of the room as soon as possible. That 



NINTH RIVER— LYING. 67 

night she could n't sleep. ' ' You lied, " something said 
to her. "No, I didn't," she said. "I didn't say I 
didn't break it." "But you might just as well have 
said so," the voice of conscience told her. " If you 
did n't tell a lie, you acted one, and that 's just as bad 
as telling one. " 

Dolly stood it as long as she could. She got up 
and went to her mother's bed. 

"Mamma, I broke the vase," she sobbed out. 
"I thought if I acted a lie you wouldn't find out 
about it, but I can 't sleep for thinking that God 
knows, if you donjt." 

We can not deceive Him. 



A LIAR'S FATE. 

D. T. Taylor. 

God is all-mighty. Were He not so He would 
not be God. It is therefore unwise and unsafe to 
provoke His wrath. The sinner, the reviler of the 
Holy Spirit, the blasphemer, do so and sooner or later 
meet a dreadful fate. God could forget the strongest 
man into nothingness in a moment. But when He 
puts forth His terrible power it is as easy for Him to 
turn a hundred and eighty-five thousand warriors into 
corpses in a night (Isa. xxxvii. 36), as to strike dead a 
lying man and woman in an instant (Acts v. 5-10). 

The Boston Journal says a man was playing at 
cards with three others at Omaha recently, when a 
dispute arose about the betting. The man uttered 



68 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

a lie. Everybod}^ believed him to be lying. Very 
loudly he asserted his lie, exclaiming in a bold manner : 
"I hope Christ will kill me if it isn't so." His hour 
had come. He dealt the cards to the next player. 
The hand — his last hand. He passed the cards to 
the next player. The player shuffled the cards and 
asked the man who had referred the matter to his 
Judge to "cut," but a look in his face disclosed the 
awful fact that he was dead. The proof of a living 
Christ and an avenging Deity was before them. It is 
a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God. 
Beware ! 



CHAPTER XIL 

TENTH RIVER COVETOUSNESS. 

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou 
Shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manserv- 
ant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor 
any thing that is thy neighbour's." — Ex. xx. 17. 

Covetousness is an inordinate desire to possess. 
Let us imagine that we are talking to a little boy by 
the name of Willie, and that he tells us what he knows 
about Covetousness. 

" Willie, what do you think it means to Covet ? " 

* ' It means to want things that belong to other 
people which you know^ you should not have." 

"Please illustrate what you mean." 

"I will try to do so. For instance: If papa 
should give me and each of my brothers and sisters an 
apple, and I should want, not only my apple, but also 
to take the ones my brothers and sisters have, that 
would be Coveting. Or, if I became dissatisfied with 
my father or mother, and would want the father or 
mother of a playm.ate, that would be Coveting them." 

' ' Would it not be Coveting if you should wish to 
dispossess any of your neighbors of their houses or 
lands, or anything else they have .? " 



70 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

"It certainly would." 

*'Can you tell me of any instance in the Bible 
of people that have Coveted ? " 

*' Yes; the story of Achan in Joshua vii, 21. He 
Coveted the golden wedge and Babylonish garment, 
and was the cause of Israel's defeat at Ai, and was 
stoned to death for this sin." 

"Can you think of any instance in the New 
Testament ? " 

"Certainly; Judas, who betrayed our Saviour for 
thirty pieces of silver, and Ananias and Sapphira, 
who Coveted the property which they had promised 
to God. It seems to me the punishment of these 
three persons is an awful warning to all who would 
follow in their footsteps." 

' ' Can you think of anything God has said about 
it?" 

"Yes; in Ecclesiastes v. 10, He says: 'He that 
loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he 
that loveth abundance with increase.' He says it 
leads to ' many foolish and hurtful lusts, ' which 
drown men in perdition (I. Tim. vi. 9). It leads to 
lying (see II. Kings v. 22-25). Prov. i. 18, 19, shows 
it leads to murder and deception; Josh. vii. 21, to 
stealing; Prov. xxviii. 22, to poverty; I. Tim. vi. 10, 
to misery; Psa. x. 3, declares that "the covetous 
renounceth God"; and Eph. v. 5 and Col. iii. 5, 
declare that it is idolatry." 

"Very well answered, and in view of these 
answers I trust that you and all who read this book 
may shun it as you would a rattlesnake." 



TENTH RIVER— COVETOUSNESS. 71 

As we have seen, in God's sight it is just as wicked 
as any other sin, and more to be feared,' as it is more 
popular and less warned against. 

It is one of the most popular Sin-Boats in the 
mighty Fleet which is fighting King Immanuel and 
robbing Him of His rights and peopling damnation. 

It is patronized by the rich and the learned, by 
lords and kings, as well as by multitudes in humbler 
walks of life. 

One of the greatest perils of its passengers is that 
they are satisfied with it, and hence disdain the Life- 
Boat which the King of Heaven sends to their relief. 

Like all other sins, it is rooted in selfishness. 

It is the worship of self and the creature which is 
idolatry. 

It is a gilded popular sin, little feared and seldom 
shunned. The peril of its victims is all the greater, 
because they think themselves secure. 

It is a River whose surface sparkles, but which is 
wide and deep; its currents rapid and murderous. 
More people are probably borne down its treacherous 
tides than of any other Stream which flows into the 
River of Death and over the Falls of Eternal Despair. 

It is as natural to the unrenewed heart as breath- 
ing, and finds expression in the following ways: 

By an intense desire to be rich. 

By love of earthly gain. 

By slowness to give. 

By stinginess and penuriousness. 

By unlawful desire for that which belongs to 
another. 



72 THE RIVER OF DEATH, 

It often leads to Sabbath-breaking, 

Also to stealing, murder, cheating, and overreach- 
ing in business for purposes of gain. 

Saloons and brothels are kept at its command. 

To accomplish its selfish ends it defies God and 
tramples on the rights of man. 

It is like the consumption, in that its victims often 
think they are well when they are upon the very brink 
of death. 

It makes a man like a sponge, always absorbing 
but never giving, or like a person who is always eat- 
ing but never satisfied, and who dies in the midst of 
plent}'. I knew a rich man, a church mernber, who 
gave but one dollar per year for missions, and feared 
that he would die in the poor house. 

All of its victims belong to the family of Achan, 
Judas and Ananias, and it loses none of its hideous- 
ness when, as in their cases, it is screened by a cloak 
of profession of piety. 

The Holy Spirit convicts of its danger. Jesus 
provides a way of escape, and God waits to welcome 
and save from it all who will accept of His great sal- 
vation. 

It is a heart sin, and nothing but the Blood of 
Jesus can wash it away. At conversion it is re- 
nounced and suppressed, but like a caged tiger will 
often growl and struggle to escape. When the soul 
is baptized with the Holy Spirit, and moves up on 
Holiness Heights (see Chart), then Covetousness by 
God's power is all removed, and Heaven-born Liber- 
ality and Perfect Love reign in its stead. 



TENTH RIVER— COVETOUSNESS. 73 



BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS. 

Selected. 

A man once told me how much money he had 
cleared the year before and how much he was clear- 
ing that present year, and it was in advance. Some 
time afterwards — he had likely forgotten that circum- 
stance — he said to me : "I can not give as much this 
year to the church as last year." The more he got 
the less he had for the Lord. The following spring 
in a bad deal he lost one hundred dollars or more. 
No one can " rob God in tithes and offerings " and not 
pay the penalty sooner or later. ' ' Beware of cov- 
etousness. " 

" They that desire to be rich fall into a temptation 
and a snare, and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such 
as drown men in destruction and perdition." — I. Tim. 
vi. 9. 



WHAT IT COST. 

Biblical Illnsirator. 

" How much is that estate worth 1 " said one friend 
to another as they passed a beautiful mansion and 
extensive and highly cultivated grounds. " I do not 
know how much it is worth," was the reply; "but I 
know what it cost its owner. " ' ' How much }'' "His 
soul," was the startling reply; and then he proceeded 
to narrate how exclusively the owner had lived for 



74 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

one object — to build himself a home on earth, utterly 
careless of the home on high ; and had died impeni- 
tent and suddenly." 



STOLEN TREASURE. 

Christia7i Allia7ice. 

It is said that an eagle in search of prey snatched 
a lamb from a sacrificial altar. She had scarcely 
borne it to the nest before it was in flames, and her 
young were burned to ashes. A coal, unseen, had 
been taken with the stolen flesh, and God punished 
the sacrilege with its own fruits. So, many a home, 
many a business, many a family, has been cursed by 
God's stolen treasures, and might hear Him saying, 
if they had ears to hear : 

"Ye are cursed with the curse; for ye rob me, even 
this whole nation. Bring ye the whole tithe into the 
storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and 
prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I 
will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you 
out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to 
receive it."— Mai. iii. 9, 10. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



THE RIVER S RAVAGES. 



The following are some of the terrible results 
which all must suffer who persist in sailing upon the 
River of Death. 

1. The Guilt of Sin. God has forbidden Sin, 
hence the awful guilt which disobedience brings — guilt 
so heavy that it^ will sink the soul into the burn- 
ing Sea of Everlasting Doom ; guilt so deep that no 
one can fathom it, and so black that no artist can 
paint it, and yet so deceptive that its victims unawak- 
ened by the Spirit's power, often seem unconscious 
that it is fixed upon them. 

2. Separation. Sin not only brings guilt, but 
it separates from Heaven and God, so that His 
presence is no more enjoyed, nor a glad and final 
union with Him in Eternity anticipated, and indiffer- 
ence or hatred and rebellion possess the soul. 

3. Bondage. Satan throws a fascinating spell 
over all who follow his counsels, and sail upon 
this awful Stream. He imparts a love for sin and 
for sinful society which binds them with such mighty 
cords that none but God Himself can break them. 

" To whom ye present yourselves as servants unto 
obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey ; whether 



70 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness." 
— Rom. vi. 16. 

4. Disease. If people had never ventured upon 
these Rivers there never would have been an ache, 
or pain, or disease on earth ; but worse than any 
disease of the body is the dreadful leprosy of the 
soul which the fatal atmosphere and waters of these 
Rivers give. All who drift thereon not only have 
the stubborn soul disease of sin which Paul calls 
"the body of this death," "the old man," inherited 
from Adam down, but tliQ disease is awfully aggra- 
vated by the personal sins of those who suffer from it. 
Another name for this disease is Selfishness. It is 
seated deeper than the skin, or the blood, or the 
nerves, away in the deep soul-center of the spiritual 
being, and like the measles and the smallpox, it breaks 
out on the outside, in the form of sinful anger, wicked 
words, stubborn and haughty expressions and de- 
meanor, disobedience to parents and many other 
sins, although in some persons the main outward 
mark may be one kind of sin, and in others different ; 
but any outer mark proves that the disease is in the 
soul. 

5. Eternal Punishment. Another of the certain 
and fearful consequences of yielding to Satan and 
sailing on these Rivers is Eternal Punishment, which 
God declares all must suffer who persist in this sinful 
course. The River of Death, with its mighty resist- 
less tides, flows over the Falls of Eternal Despair, and 
bears its victims out into the burning Sea of Everlast- 



THE RIVERS RAVAGES. 77 

ing Destruction, from the "presence of God." and 
the " glor}- of His power.'" 

The King of Heaven is warning all who are upon 
its waters of their fearful danger and of the doom 
into which they are rushing. 

All along the shore He has Gospel messengers, 
shouting, "Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die.'*" 
But many are like the young men who drifted down 
Niagara's awful current over its Falls. Friends shouted 
to them repeatedly, ' ' The rapids are before you ! 
Turn ! turn ! the rapids are before you ! " but they 
laughed and sang, and continued to drift, thinking 
they would ply their oars and stop their boat before 
it was too late, but passed on from one danger point 
to another, until when they would turn it was too 
late, they could not, for the current was too strong, 
and they were lost. 

Others, asleep beside this River, in some of the 
fatal Boats of Sin which have been mentioned on 
preceding pages, are like the poor Indian. An enemy 
saw him sleeping on the bank of Niagara River above 
the Falls, cut the rope which tied his canoe to the 
shore, and pushed it out into the surging, rushing 
tide. The Indian slept on until awakened by the 
roar of the cataract, too late to stop the boat or turn his 
course, and was swiftly swept over its merciless brink 
to certain death. A forceful picture of the fate of all 
who do not heed the warning cry which echoes in their 
ears, but sweep down the Rivers of Sin into the Lake 
of Fire, where they shall be ' ' tormented day and night 
for ever and ever." 



CHAPTER XIV. 



RESTORATION. 



" Grod so loved the world, that he gave his only 
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him shall 
not perish, but have eternal life." — John iii. 16. 

Is it not strange that men should be so foolish as 
to listen to Satan, and forsake the delights of the 
Paradise which God has planned for them, and with 
one accord rush down to the Land of Sin, and embark 
upon its fatal Rivers! This seems too absurd to be 
true; yet, deceived by Satan, and won by his cunning 
wiles, they have done and are doing it. 

When angels did a similar thing it seemed there 
was no salvation for them ; but they were at once 
arrested and confined in ' ' everlasting chains in outer 
darkness, awaiting the judgement of the last day." 

But blessed, glorious, unspeakable ' ' tidings of 
great joy, to us is born a Saviour, who is Christ the 
Lord! " "Though He was rich, yet for our sakes He 
became poor," and suffered on the cross of Calvary 
that we might be rescued from Satan's power, Sin's 
River and its awful doom. 

Yes ; thank God, a rescue expedition has been 
planned and sent forth from God, the Father, to save 
a lost world. What has been done ? 

The Father so loved the world, that He gave His 

78 



RESTORATION. 79 

only begotten Son to save us. Jesus so loved the 
world that He freely came, and redeemed us by His 
own precious blood. The Holy Spirit so loved the 
world that He comes unitedly with the Father and the 
Son to press a campaign against sin and Satan's 
power, and rescue all who will repent. 

The following are some of the gifts which God 
bestows in our behalf : 

His Son, who came from heaven, lived, and suf- 
fered, and died, and rose again, and now intercedes 
at the right hand of the Father for us. 

The Holy Spirit, who takes the things of God 
and makes them plain to man. 

The Word of God. This Word exposes the awful 
conspiracy of the devil to wreck people in the Rivers 
of Sin, and, having put them to sleep upon its fatal 
floods, to rush them over the Falls of Eternal Despair 
to the dark dungeons of everlasting doom, where he 
plans to torment them forever. It tells all about the 
expedition from Heaven, headed by the Son of God, 
to defeat the devil and rescue all who will repent. 

Conviction. Drugged by the devil and chloro- 
formed by sin, spiritually weak and sick on account 
of the malaria that arises from the Swamps of Dis- 
obedience, the sinner would never awaken to a sense 
of his danger were it not for conviction, such as 
only the Holy Spirit can bring. He applies the Word 
of God, rouses the sinner from his slumber, and makes 
him feel the pangs of guilt because of the way he is 
destroying himself and treating God, until he can rest 
no more. 



80 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

The Church and ministry. Under the administra- 
tion of the Holy Spirit Jesus organizes His Church, 
composed of rescued men and women, who, animated 
by the spirit of their Saviour, and mighty through His 
strength, co-operate with Him in the work of rescuing 
others. It is of them Jesus says: "As thou didst 
send me into the world, even so send I them into the 
world." 

Repentance. Even after the victims of this River 
have been awakened, they would not know how to 
repent nor feel like doing so unless God should give 
them this gift ; hence He bestows it. It moves them 
with all their might to turn away from sin with deep 
and godly sorrow, and cry to Him for help. They 
begin to hate the currents which are ever sweeping 
them downward, and moved with fear, they stop their 
mad career, and escape from the death-trap into 
which Satan has decoyed them. Genuine repentance 
embraces restitution, if one has wronged another, to 
the full extent of his power to make that wrong right. 
If some one stole your knife, would you believe him 
really penitent if he refused to restore it, and kept 
right on stealing.? If people keep on sinning, and 
refuse to make their wrongs right if in their power to 
do so, their repentance is a sham, and but sweeps 
them swifter toward eternal death. Real repentance 
means to give up not only one sin, but all sin, with no 
thought of ever going back to it again. 

Pardon. To all who truly repent, God offers 
blood-bought pardon. Jesus paid for it on Calvary, 
and it is free. 



RESTORATION, 81 

" If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous 
to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all un- 
righteousness." — I. John i. 9. 

Precious promise ! Glorious privilege ! Wonder- 
ful grace which thus forgives ! This promise has 
been the plank over which multitudes have rushed 
from the Sin-Boats of Damnation to the Life-Boat of 
Salvation. 

" Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unright- 
eous man his thoughts : and let him return unto the 
Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our 
Grod, for h« will abundantly pardon." — Isa. Iv. 7. 

Confession of sin. If a little boy has wronged you 
and will not * ' own up, " you know by that he does not 
really repent of the wrong he has done you. The 
sinner, sinking in the Death-Boat, must confess his 
sins to others, wherein he has wronged them, and- his 
sin to God, wherein he has wronged Him ; and will do 
so, if his repentance is sincere. 

" He that covereth his transgressions shall not pros- 
per: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall 
obtain mercy." — Prov. xxviii. 13. 

Faith. To all who fully submit to God, repent 
and confess, God gives the faith to believe His Word, 
and the promise is the plank which reaches the 
Life-Boat. Our feet represent our faith, and we must 
put both of them upon the plank, and thus escape for 
our lives. 



82 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

Comniuiiion. Entering the Life-Boat of Salvation 
the soul is welcomed by Jesus Himself, and commun- 
ion is at once established between them, sweet, rich 
and blessed. The bells of the Life-Boat ring jubi- 
lantly with the praises of its passengers, and all 
Heaven is full of joy that another soul is rescued. 

Freedom. The chains of evil habits which bound 
the prisoner to the world, the flesh and the devil 
when in the Death-Boat of Sin, are now broken. 

Healing. All sorts of physical diseases were con- 
tracted in the Rivers of Sin. In response to the 
prayer of faith, these may be healed, and the body 
greatly strengthened through the indwelling of the 
Holy Spirit. A new body, free from all disease 
and all infirmity, even like the body of Jesus Himself, 
is promised in the future, when "He shall change 
these vile bodies, and make them like his own most 
glorious body, according to the working whereby he 
is able to subdue all things unto himself." 

Full Salvation. The diseases of soul which were 
contracted in the River are all checked at once, and 
the believer is given a valuable home up on the Plains 
of Regeneration, but a complete eradication of sin 
from the soul is effected only through the Baptism 
with the Hol}^ Spirit, which transfers the soul to 
Holiness Heights, where it lives in joyful spiritual 
activity, health and plenty, until it passes into 
Heaven. This wonderful change is wrought through 
the Blood of Jesus, and fully sanctifies the soul, 
healing its every disease, and making it every whit 
whole. Not freeing it from infirmities nor destroying 



RESTORATION. 83: 

its freedom, nor exempting from temptation, but 
eliminating everything which mars its communion 
with God, utterly destroying the "old man" of 
carnality, and thrilling with holy zeal and freedom. 
This complete cure of the soul is received through 
faith in Jesus, dependence upon the healing Blood, 
and complete abandonment to His sweet will in 
everything, no matter ho^y much self or others may be 
opposed. Without it there will be a tendency on the 
l)art of the soul to return to former bondage, and take 
occasional trips upon the Rivers of Sin. This cure 
removes that inclination. This experience gives one 
the right to reside on Holiness Heights, where there is 
"select company," "celestial music," "grapes of 
Eschol," " honey out of the rock," "bread without 
scarceness," and all the fruits of Canaan. The ascent 
which leads there has several steps. The name of 
one is Hunger for Holiness; the next, Determination to 
Have It; the third, Absolute Abandonment to the Will 
of God ; the fourth, Appropriating Faith. The steps 
are carpeted with texts, among which are the following: 

"Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto 
sin, but alive unto Grod in Christ Jesus." — Rom. vi. 11. 

*' Ye shall be holy ; for I am holy."— I. Pet. i. 16. 

" For this is the will of Grod, even your sanctifica- 
tion, that ye abstain from fornication." — L Thess. iv. 3. 

" If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we 
have fellowship one with another, and the blood of 
Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin." — I. John i. 7 



84 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

" Be filled with the Spirit."— Eph. v. 18. 

All who have reached the Plains of Regeneration 
should ascend these steps at once, as their usefulness, 
safety and enjoyment, as well as the command of 
their Saviour, require it. 

Victor}-. Another gift which Salvation brings is 
Victory. What a transformation from Satan's victims 
to Christ's victors. Yet this, through Him, all may 
be. For He has purchased for all through His Blood 
complete victory over every foe ; victory over our 
sins and sin ; over the world, the flesh, and the devil ; 
over wicked men and evil spirits ; over the grave, and 
death and hell. Complete victory ; Blood-bought 
victory ; Eternal victory. Then which shall we be : 
Satan's victims, decoyed by his wiles, trapped by his 
cunning, stupefied by his pleasures, stultified by his 
spirit, to the grief of saints and the delight of demons, 
drifting down the River of Death to shame and ever- 
lasting contempt ; or trophies of saving grace, rescued 
through Jesus' Blood, by His almighty power, clad 
with celestial armor, strengthened with all might by 
His Spirit in the inner man, and sweeping on from 
\'ictory to victory forever and forever ? 



CHAPTER XV. 

THE JUDGEMENT. 

" So then each of us shall give account of himself 
to Grod."— Rom. xiv. 12. 

We must remember that the truths of the preced- 
ing pages are aU to be met at the final Judgement. 
We are responsible for how we receive them. 

Jesus appeals to us now as a Saviour to "rescue 
the perishing, care for the dying," and "snatch them 
in pity from sin and the grave," but soon He will 
appear with "power and great glory" with all the 
holy angels with Him, and all must appear before 
His throne for final reward or final punishment. 

All who have broken His laws and rejected His 
salvation must then hear the final awful words, ' ' De- 
part from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is 
prepared for the devil and his angels," while those 
who welcomed Him, received His gifts, and, passing- 
through the Land of Regeneration, ascended Holiness 
Heights, will receive rewards according to their 
respective deeds. Did you ever think that the last 
day of time is just as real as the last day of school or 
the last day of life .'^ It is already appointed, the day 
fixed, and the place determined upon. All, whether 
they will or not, must appear at that time and that place 
to give an account for the "deeds done in the bod}." 

85 



86 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

Have you ever considered that then every wrong 
word and wrong thought and wrong deed, if unpar- 
doned, will blaze out before an assembled universe 
in characters of awful vividness and condemnation ? 
And that from the final Judgement there is no escape 
and no appeal ? You should remember you are carry- 
ing one of the two books which are then to be opened 
— one the book of your own memory, which mightily 
quickened will doubtless then recall everything in the 
past; the other the book of God's memory, who was 
present and knew all about you, and can not forget ? 

Have you carefully weighed the fact that the 
decision you are now making must then be met, and 
that then it will be too late to reverse it ; that as the 
Judgement finds you, so you must spend eternity ? 

Have you considered that neglect of salvation 
is simply buying a ticket on the Boats of Sin down 
the rapid River of Death to the left hand of the 
Judgement and a hopeless Eternity, while accepting 
of Jesus, repenting of sin, boarding the Life-Boat 
of Salvation, is securing one for the right hand of 
God and an Eternity in Heaven — to the Kingdom pre- 
pared for you from the foundation of the world ? 

" The times of ignorance therefore G-od overlooked ; 
but now he commandeth men that they should all 
everywhere repent: inasmuch as he hath appointed a day, 
in the which he will judge the world in righteousness 
by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath 
given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised 
him from the dead." — Acts xvii. 30, 31. 



THE JUDGEMENT. 87 

" Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at 
home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him. For we 
must all be made manifest before the judgement-seat 
of Christ ; that each one may receive the things done in 
the body, according to what he hath done, whether it 
be good or bad."— 11. Cor. v. 9, 10. 

" Seeing that these things are thus all to be dis- 
solved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all 
holy living and godliness, looking for and earnestly 
desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of 
which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and 
the elements shall melt with fervent heat? But, 
according to his promise, we look for new heavens and 
a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Where- 
fore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give 
diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot 
and blameless in his sight." — II. Pet. iii. 11-14. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

FULL SALVATION FOR THE YOUNG. 

If I could have the thousands of young persons 
before me whom I expect will read this book, I would 
like to ask the following questions: 

"Do you not believe it is possible for every child 
to cheerfully and gladly obey their parents? " 

You answer, " I am sure it would be." 

' ' Then if that be true of earthly parents, who make 
mistakes, is it not much more true of a Heavenly 
Father, who is knowledge, and wisdom, and love.?" 

You answer to this question, "I am sure it would 
be the same. " 

Holiness is the state in which it is not only possi- 
ble, but pleasing, to do God's will, and to do it in such 
a way that ' ' seeing ye have put off the old man with 
his doings, and have put on the new man, which is 
being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him 
that created him," you are able to "walk worthily of 
the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every 
good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 
strengthened with all power, according to . the might 
of his glory, unto all patience and longsuffering with 

joy-" 

God commands all to be holy, and declares that 
without holiness no man can see the Lord. He does 

8« 



FULL SALVA riON FOR THE YOUNG. 89 

not mean by this that it will be impossible for us to 
sin, or that we will not be tempted any more, for 
Jesus was tempted; or that we will not grow in grace, 
for we will grow all the faster when our hearts are 
cleansed from all sin. 

Holiness is heart-loyalty to Jesus, and a holy life 
is a life overflowing with the loyalty of cheerful obe- 
dience. 

Satan tries to make people believe they can not be 
holy in this life, for he knows if they are they will be 
far less likely to enter the Death-Boats of Sin, in 
which he hopes to drift them over the Falls of Eter- 
nal Despair. 

The work of Holiness is begun in the hearts and 
lives of all who are true children of God, but until 
the heart is cleansed from pride, envy, unbelief, sin- 
ful anger, fear, and all sin, there is something within 
that is opposed to Holiness. 

Jesus came from Heaven, the angels declared, for 
the express purpose of saving His people from their 
sins, and that includes the sinful state here named. 
He suffered outside the gate that He might ''sanc- 
tify the people" with His blood, and thus purify unto 
Himself a people from all sin set free. 

" Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us 
cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, 
perfecting holiness in the fear of God." — II. Cor. vii. 1. 

That this sweet experience in which the will of 
God is done in our hearts and lives "as it is done in 
Heaven "' is for the young as w^ell as for the old, is as 



90 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

clear as the sun from Heaven, from the very fact that 
Jesus does not forbid them, but that His commands 
and promises are to all who need their fulfillment. 

God has given us the Holy Bible to teach us how 
to be holy; the Holy Saviour, who lived and died and 
reigns to make and keep us holy; the Holy Spirit, who 
applies the truth to our hearts and, with Jesus, leads 
us into this experience. 

Jesus commands it when He says: 

" Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly 
Father is perfect." — Matt. v. 48. 

"Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth." — 
John xvii. 17. 

And when He taught believers to pray: 

" Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, 
so on earth." — Matt. vi. 10. 

Then is there any reason we should not be full}' 
saved ? 

I fancy I hear some one say: " How can I, with 
all my weakness, and all my failings, and all my oppo- 
sition, which I have to meet ? How can I lead a holy 
life.?" 

Dear child, your mistake is in looking at yourself 
instead of at Jesus. You can not make yourself holy. 
You can not overcome your surroundings and beset- 
ments in your own strength, but He who has all power 
in Heaven and on earth, and who comes to us for the 
express purpose of doing this, is able to accomplish it. 



FULL SALVATION FOR THE YOUNG, 91 

It is His work to make you holy, and then to keep 
you, and then by and by to present you faultless 
before His Father's throne. Will you not, can you 
not, do you not, trust Him just now to do this ? 

You ask, ''What am I to do ? " 

When you came to Jesus to forgive you, you re- 
pented of all your sins and renounced them, confessed 
them and gave them up. God promised that if you 
would do this He would forgive you and remember 
them against you no more forever and applied to your 
heart the promise: 

" Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." 
— John vi. 37. 

After those days of guilt, and fear, and burden, and 
darkness, and almost despair, you believed the promise 
and proved the truthfulness of the Word: "He that 
believeth on Him hath eternal life." You confessed 
Him as your Saviour, and the peace of pardon came 
into your soul. 

In a similar way, you should come to Jesus for 
Him to fully cleanse your heart, and make and keep 
you holy. 

If you do not deeply feel your need of this, ask 
Him to send deep conviction for it, and make you so 
feel that, in view of the fact that your Heavenly 
Father has promised and commands it, that Jesus has 
provided it, that His Blood is the purchase price, and 
that the Holy Spirit is waiting to apply it, you will 
resolve by God's grace to have it, and will not rest 
until the prize is yours. 



92 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

Then, as God shall apply the tests to your soul, 
proving your • earnestness and determination, bid a 
final farewell to everything, no matter how dear it 
may be, that would stand between you and His per- 
fect will, and present yourself, with all you have and 
are and ever hope to be, completely to God, for Him 
to cleanse and fill with perfect love. Then, when 
you have the assurance deep down in ydur soul 
that you have done this, you are ready to believe 
and receive, by faith, the promise that if we thus 
"walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have 
fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus 
his Son cleanseth us from all sin " (I. John i. 7). 

You must now believe this promise and kindred 
ones, of which the Bible is full, just as you believed 
the promises for pardon when seeking forgiveness of 
sins. 

If you really do this a perfect peace, and rest, 
and joy, yea, even Jesus Himself, will come in and 
abide in your heart, and make it His home, ' ' breaking 
down every idol, casting out every foe, and washing 
and keeping you whiter than snow." 

Then you must keep all abandoned to Him, and 
trust and obey Him in every thing_, and He will keep 
you fully saved. 

Multitudes of the young are enjoying the sweet- 
ness, and bliss, and victory of these experiences, and 
through Jesus' ^precious Blood are made more than 
conquerors. 

Reader, are you among this number } If not, will 
you not just now determine by God's grace to be.''. 



FULL SALVATION FOR THE YOUNG. 93 



May you never rest until you can sa}' and feel: 

" I rise to walk in Heaven's own light; 
Above the world and sin: 
With heart made pure and garments white, 
And Christ enthroned within. " 

[Note. — If you wish more light upon this subject, and will write 
to " The Revivalist" office and let the editor know, he will send you 
free a copy of a little book which God has used to make this very plain 
to many.] 



WHITER THAN SNOW. 

Abbie C. Morroiv, in l>ible Morninff Glories. 

Snow is a symbol of purity. There is nothing so 
beautiful as the newly fallen snow, when the sun 
makes it bright like gold dust and diamonds. Yet 
our hearts and lives are to be more pure and white 
and beautiful than the clear, spotless snow-fields. A 
teacher asked, '*How can the Lord wash our hearts 
so that they will be whiter than snow ? " "I know, " 
was the quick answer of a little boy taught of God. 
' ' When you look through a microscope at the flakes 
of snow, there is a dark spot in the centre of each 
flake. When God washes our hearts He does not 
leave any dark spots on them." 

In a school in North Carolina the children were 
asked, ''What is whiter than snow .^ " One said, 
"Cotton," another, "Chatk, " another, "Milk, "but 
one little one said, "A heart that is washed in the 
blood of the Lamb." 

A little five-year-old boy looked up at his mother 



94 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

one morning and said, " Mamma, ain't I whiter" than 
snow?" The mother did not answer him, and the 
child's hps quivered and his eyes filled with tears as 
he cried out, ' ' Why, mamma, did n't I give my heart 
to Jesus that day in the tent, and now ain't I whiter 
than snow?" Dear little fellow, of course he was. 
When we give our hearts to Jesus and ask Him to make 
us whiter than snow he just loves to do it for us. 

An English nobleman, whose wife was dead, had 
one little daughter whom he loved dearly but did not 
see often. The child's nurse taught her about Jesus. 
The father used sometimes to amuse his little girl by 
riddles, and one time she said to him, ' ' Papa, do you 
know what is whiter than snow?" He was not a 
Christian and had never read our text. "No," he 
said, ''I don't." Then the little one said, " A soul 
washed in the blood of Jesus is whiter than snow." 
The father asked, "Who told you?" "My nurse," 
said the child. The father privately requested the 
nurse not to teach his little girl religion for fear she 
would be gloomy, and forgot all about it. Some time 
afterward the Prince of Wales was visiting them and 
noticed the child. She said to him, ' ' Do you know 
what is whiter than snow?" He did not, and smiled 
and said, " No, what is it ? " And the little one said, 
"A soul washed in the blood of Jesus is whiter than 
snow." The father heard the words from his child's 
lips the second time, and he kept thinking about them 
until he became a Christian, and through him thou- 
sands of people were saved. Isn't it lovely that a 
little child's word can bring people to Jesus? 



FULL SALVATION FOR THE YOUNG. 95 

" A poor little black girl, with bare head and bare 
feet came into a large Sunday-school where the chil- 
dren in their cool, white gowns were singing, ' ' Whiter 
than snow." She sat still, with eyes and mouth wide 
open, pleased and satisfied. No one took any notice 
of her, and during the lesson she lay down upon one 
of the seats and fell fast asleep. At the close, the 
superintendent, who was a physician, upon going to 
waken her, found she was ill with a fever. The poor 
child had suffered for days without any attention, and, 
attracted by the singing, had crept into the church 
because she could go no further. She was taken to 
the hospital and cared for. One of the teachers vis- 
ited herT She was always pleased when she saw 
anything white, and in her ravings was always saying 
"White" and "Snow." One day when the teacher 
took her some flowers, with her little black hands she 
picked out a white one and laid away all the rest. 
At last she became quiet and ceased to rave, and said 
to the nurse, "Sing, lady." " W^hat shall I sing.-*" 
"Whiter than snow." The nurse began singing 
softty. The little one interrupted her, "Missus, does 
that mean me .^ " "Yes, my child." "Me, a nig- 
ger ?'' " Yes, my child. " " Den sing it some more. '" 
The nurse sang it again, and then told her how Jesus 
could wash all our sins, and though her skin was 
black, her soul could be whiter than snow. She was 
happy and lay still for a long time. She grew weaker, 
and one day at twilight she whispered, "Once 
more." "What, my child .^ " "Sing." And while 
the nurse sang the only song the child had ever heard. 



96 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

the redeemed spirit of the little black waif who had 
no home and no mother, went up to live with Jesus 
and be happy forever, but He had made her ' ' Whiter 
than snow.'* 



CHAPTER XVII. 

ETERNITY. 

Did you ever stop to think about Eternity ? How 
long is it ? 

I imagine I hear some one say: "Why, it is so 
long that if you should begin now and count every 
drop of water there is in every river, lake, and ocean 
on this globe, when the last drop is counted it 
would only be just begun." 

I imagine I hear another say, "If you would 
take every particle of sand and dirt of v/hich this 
earth is made and count them all, and stop an hundred 
years between the counting of each particle, then when 
all were finally counted, Eternity would be just as 
long as when you first began." 

Both of these answers are true. Eternity means 
never-ending duration. 

Time, with its six thousand years that have passed 
away, is simply a little comma in the infinite volumes 
of the great Eternity. It is but a small drop in the 
boundless Ocean of the great Forever. 

As sublime as the thought of Eternity is, it becomes 
all the more majestic when we remember that every 
soul is to exist through all its ages. ' ' We are, and 
we can never cease to be." 

Where you and I shall spend that Eternity moves 
all Heaven and stirs all hell. 



98 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

Satan is determined that we spend it with him, 
and through demons and wicked men, and our own 
carnal natures, is doing all that lies in his power to 
allure us into the fatal Streams of these Rivers and over 
the Falls of Eternal Despair, into an Eternity of the 
lost, where we will be hopeless and Christless for ever 
and ever. There, amid the billows of that burning 
sea, whose fires emit no light, and whose flames never 
tire nor cease, there will be Eternal separations from 
God and all the good. Heaven, with all its infinite 
and eternal joys, will be lost forever. 

There will be no music there; but weeping and 
wailing and gnashing of teeth. 

Those who have been hated and wronged here on 
earth, doubtless there will wreak their vengeance upon 
the lost forever; 

Wicked men and devils, superintended by Satan 
himself, doubtless will ' ' torment both day and night, 
for evermore. " 

One of the hottest flames which then will torture 
the despairing soul doubtless will be that this doom 
was self-chosen. The memory of sins committed, of 
Christ rejected, of prayers spurned and duties neg- 
lected, like a scorpion, doubtless will sting the soul and 
deepen its agon}^ ages without end. 

It is a fearful thing to be lost in outer darkness; 
lost from God; lost from Heaven; lost from loved 
ones, who interceded by their prayers and tears to 
save us; lost in a black burning wilderness, so far 
from God's Heaven and His millions of shining, 
shouting worlds that not one ray of their combined 



ETERNITY. 99 

light can even pierce the outer darkness; lost amid the 
howls of demons, the sarcasm and ridicule of fallen 
spirits, the fightings and anguish of lost men! All 
this is awful beyond description, but add to this the 
word Eternal and remember that this means FOk ever 
AND EVER, and there is no language that can express 
the awfulness of such a loss. 

Oh, Eternity of the lost! May thy infinite horrors 
and everlasting anguish of despair move every reader 
to drop the sins that may be bearing him to thy 
murderous bosom and heed the call of mercy before it 
is too late. 

' ' Lo, on a narrow neck of land 
'Twixt two unbounded seas we stand. 

Secure! insensible! 
A breath of time; a moment's space, 
Removes us to that heavenly place, 

Or shuts us up in hell." 

Reader, remember that your decision this very hour 
may determine where you will spend Eternity. 

" Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, 
Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which 
is prepared for the devil and his angels." — Matt. xxv. 41. 

" And if any was not found written in the book of 
life, he was cast into the lake of fire." — Rev. xx. 15. 

But, thank God! there is another picture. 

When Jesus threw back the curtain that intervenes 
between this and the unseen world, He showed us a 
painting, not only of the Eternity just named, but of 
a glorious Eternity from which sin will have been 



100 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

banished forever; an Eternity where there is no pain 
nor sorrow, nor sickness, nor sighing, nor tears; an 
Eternity where Jesus and His angels, and loved ones 
who delight to do His will, dwell; an Eternity whose 
music will thrill, and whose joys will fill increasing 
capacities with inexpressible delights; an Eternity 
where we may fly on errands of light and love, for 
evermore doing the bidding of Him whom we adore; 
an Eternity amid the mansions whose foundations are 
sapphire and other priceless jewels; whose gates are 
pearls; whose temple is the Lord God Almighty, 
and the light of which is Jesus, our Elder Brother; 
an Eternity where there is no more curse, and we 
need ' ■ no light of moon, neither light of sun, for the 
Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign 
for ever and ever"; a welcome Eternity; a blessed 
Eternity; a victorious Eternity; an Eternity where 
usefulness, and honor, and enjoyment, all unite to 
bear its people to heights undreamed of here. 

How foolish to barter such an Eternity for earth's 
honors or pleasures or sins. Is it any wonder that 
Jesus represents the rich man who sold his soul for 
money as a fool ? He sold an Eternity of bliss and 
purchased a ticket to an Eternity of woe for a little 
property and a few brief hours of sensuous enjoyment. 
Let us choose an Eternity where it may be ours to 
speed on ministries of love and light from world to 
world and universe to universe, magnifying the grace 
of God that rescued us from the River of Death, and 
thus transforms. Thank God such an Eternity is real 
and near, and may be ours. 



ETERNITY. 101 

Reader, may we not meet there ? Whatever else 
we do, may we live every moment ready for the 
ETERNITY of those who are enrolled above. 

"And there shall in no wise enter into it anything 
unclean, or he that maketh an abomination and a lie: 
but only they which are written in the Lamb's book of 
life."— Rev. xxi. 27. 



RESCUED FROM THE RIVER. 

V. £. M. 

When a child I had a dread of three things,- — 
Death, Hell, and the Judgement day of God. 

Of these divine truths I often thought, and the 
questions would arise — how am I going to avoid their 
terror ? Where is a place of refuge ? Where can I 
find a ladder of escape when this world shall be on 
fire, and the elements melting with fervent heat ? 

Through the conversation of my elder sisters, I 
learned one day, that Christ will come in the clouds 
with power and great glory; but this fact did not in 
the least allay my fears, but added tei'ror to my deep 
consternation, for something in my heart told me I 
was not prepared to stand before Him. 

From the day I heard my sisters say Jesus would 
come again, I resolved to do good, keep God's Com- 
mandments, and live in such a righteous way that I 
would not be afraid to meet Him. 

With conscientious earnestness of purpose I set 



102 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

about watching- my words lest I should tell a false- 
nood, or in jest take the name of God in vain; with 
rigorous care I did whatever deed of kindness came 
in my way towards others, vainly attempting by good 
works too btain Salvation, not then knowing ' ' that 
by grace we are saved through faitJi, and that not of 
ourselves, it is the gift of God." 

Several years I stumbled on trying to build upon 
the sand, until one Sunday in the Sabbath-school I 
learned this truth, that "Jesus died not for our sins 
only, but for the sins of the whole world." 

Doubtless I had read that text of Scripture before, 
but had not paused to consider carefully the wonder- 
ful importance of those words, ' ' the sins of the whole 
worldr 

Who could accurately compute their number, or 
rightly discern their degree of guilt } How I began to 
wonder, what ratio my own sins were to the trans- 
gressions of the whole world } 

After much perplexing thought, I came to see that 
my own were but as a drop in the ocean, to the sum 
total committed by other souls, and yet so great was 
my condemnation, as I drifted down the awful River of 
Death, that I felt that the blood of Jesus must have 
wonderful efficacy to wash away the sins of the world. 

For who can reckon up the oaths, curses and blas- 
phemies, the lying and evil speaking, the Sabbath 
breaking, drunkenness, frauds, injustice, cruel oppres- 
sion, and much other wickedness that abound in the 
lives of the children of men t 

Surely, thought I, although my own heart is un- 



ETERNITY. 103 

clean through £in, since on "Jesus was laid the 
iniquities of us all,'' my own soul is not too hard a 
subject for the blessed Chrrist to make whole. 

Although I at last came to comprehend these facts, 
my attention at that time in life was so much taken 
up by my studies in school and the practice of music 
at home, I drifted along, fully intending some day to 
seek the Lord. 

But how indefinite was that period of time, and 
what a risk for my immortal soul to run. What as- 
surance could I claim that God would not permit 
Death to come and bear me over the Falls of Eternal 
Despair towards which I was drifting. For now that 
I had been brought to a knoivlcdgc of His word of 
Divine ti^zith, I was in peril of Hell and the coming 
Judgement, every hour I lived without a saving faith 
in Christ. 

But God was merciful unto me, or I could never 
have been permitted to write this testimony of Jesus' 
saving pozver. 

Of late the cares of every-day life had engaged my 
attention to that extent I but seldom thought of the 
perils which had seemed so very real to me when a 
child. 

The last time those Jiaunting fears had arisen with 
all the poivcr of their convicting might was while 
standing beside the casket of one whom God had 
called away to Heaven, in the days of her innocent 
youth. As I looked for the last time on that still, white 
face, about which clung such beautiful curls of auburn 
hair, I realized, as never before, that the sentence 



104 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

of deaths which an offended God had pronounced 
upon all fleshy would sooner or later be executed; and 
so surely as his Word of trtiih held good in regard to 
our frail tenements of clay, I felt convinced it would 
also prove true of our souls having to appear before 
Him in the Judgement. 

As I took my last farewell of dear Katie, a hope 
sprang up in my heart that we should one day meet 
again. That comforting thought stayed my tears, for 
did not Jesus say, "I am the resurrection and the 
life. He that believeth iii vie, though he were dead, 
yet shall he live'' 1 

By a saving faith in Christ Katie now possessed 
this promised inheritance of eternal life. It only re- 
mained for me to decide whether I would accept of it, 
and come at last to be with her again. 

This I earnestly resolved to do while I turned and 
walked away, but imperceptibly to me Satan obtained 
the controlling power over my heart, and led me for 
a few months to believe I had no need of being in a 
hurry about seeking salvation. 

Who can rightly estimate the patient forbearance 
of the Lord } With what longsuffering did He await 
my lagging footsteps 1 Truly His mercy and goodness 
were great towards me, else my soul would not have 
found Him at all. 

Time hastened on until when sixteen years of age, 
I attended a Revival meeting in the State of Ohio. 
Not with the expectation of benefitting my soul did I go 
up unto the sanctuary. I thought more of seeing the 
nmltitude, than I did of God and His way of salvation. 



ETERNITY. lUa 

One night, after the benediction had been pro- 
nounced, 1 stood waiting for my friends to get ready 
to return home; while standing within a few seats of 
the altar, a schoolmate accosted me with, **Come, 
Jennie, joiti the church to-night." I emphatically 
replied, ' ' No, I am not ready ! Some other time I 
will, but not nozu.'' But instead of accepting ?io for a 
decided refusal, my friend, who had lately found 
Christ, persisted in her determination that I should 
set my face Jicavonvard at once^ as though I had no 
more time to lose. 

Seeing she would not let me go away without heed- 
ing her request, w4th a feeling of desperation I walked 
up to the pulpit and gave the minister my hand. Then 
and there the Holy Ghost sealed conviction on my 
heart, and to my soul I heard a voice speaking: 
"Jennie, 3^ou can not live in the church without being 
a Christian, and you can not be a Christian unless you 
get your heart right with God.'' 

As I turned and walked homeward I began to be 
persuaded, more than ever, that Hell was a place of 
writhing torment, for I was aware that it had suddenly 
opened before my soul. 

What difference to me now, the fact that I had 
been born and reared in a good home, surrounded all 
through life with the Christianizing influence which 
only a godly mother and kind sisters can give; the 
searchlight ©f the Holy Spirit discovered to me that 
unless I found Christ, and made Him forever more my 
place of refuge, I would be lost. 

For one long, long night and a day I felt the con- 



106 THE RIVER OF DEATFI. 

demning wrath of God resting on my heart. Turn 
where I would I could not find comfort in anything, I 
could think of nothing but how to find rest from the 
heavy burden of sin that I felt was oppressing my heart. 
Alone in my room after much meditation I discovered 
that good morals and works of righteousness which I 
had tried to do, would not save me from becoming a 
companion of the vilest wretch who would ever go to 
Hell. For although there may be degrees of suffer- 
ing in that place of eternal fire, our Saviour taught 
there is but one place of punishment to which lost 
souls will be banished. 

Has He not declared "that the Son of man shall 
send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his 
kingdom all things that offend, and them which do in- 
iquity, and shall cast them into '^ fnrnace of fire'' ? 

For one night and a day, a day that seemed to be 
the longest of all my life, I felt the aivful condemn- 
ation of God resting on my heart. What wonder 
our Saviour cried when He came to die with the guilt 
of the whole world resting on Him: "My God! my 
God! why hast thou forsaken me." 

What agony can surpass the knowledge that your 
soul is helpless and alone, forsaken of God amid the 
avalanche of sin that has fallen with sudden fury upon 
you } 

Who could endure the ordeal, only that the Word 
of truth bids us, "Arise! call upon thy God, if so be 
thy God will think upon thee, that thou perish not." 

I knew there was but one way of obtaining relief, 
and that was to " believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ " 



ETERNITY. 107 

—but, oh ! who was to teach me hozo to trust Him for 
the safety of my soul ? 

My sorrow of heart was too great for words; I 
could not voice it to others. Prayer was my only 
solace. But the more I tried to pray, the farther off 
from God I seemed to go. ''Oh ! hath He not loved 
me," I cried. "Hath He not suffered and died to 
redeem such a lost rebel as I .'^ " But true as this fact 
was, I could not by faith step out on the proynises of 
God — they were so very broad and high my soul 
staggered at them. 

As the weary day wore away and the lengthening 
shadows of evening came on, how I longed to hear 
the sound of the church bell. 

At last its tones pealed out in sweetest nutsic to 
my ear, it seemed to call to me of 

"Peace, sweet peace, that passeth understanding, 
Peace, sweet peace, that has 7io endiyig^y 

until my heart took courage to believe I would find 
Jesus by going up again to the house of God. 

That never-to-be-forgotten night the minister 
preached from the text — "Yet a little sleep, a little 
slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep." 

Never did words of Divine truth so accurately por- 
tray the condition of a lost soul as those did my own, 
for had I not for years been slumbering on, intending 
at some future day to arise and seek Jesus, but had 
still delayed, until aroused by my friend insisting tha^ 
I had need to turn to God just now ? 

What gratitude at this distant day wells up in my 



108 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

heart to Jesus that he did not allow my heart to resist 
the call of the Holy Spirit, for had I refused to hearken 
then, I might have died unsaved, for — 

"There is a time we know not when, a point we know not where, 
That makes the destiny of man to glory or despair; 
There is a line by us unseeti, that crosses ev'ry path, 

The hidden boundary between Go&s ;palience and His wrath. 

" How/ar may we go on in sin, how long will God forbear ? 

Where does hope e7id, and where begins the confines of despair ? 
An answer from the skies is sent, Ye that from God depart, 
While it is called " to-day " ref>e7it, and harden not your heart." 

"A little more sleep," how like dagger strokes 
did every word drop on my quivering heart as that 
man of God went on to speak truths analogous to 
this: 

In a comparative sense there are but few, who come 
to a knowledge of the gospel that intend to be lost. 

At some future time they purpose to lay hold by 
faith upon Christ, but not just nozv ; not until I see 
that necessity compels me to make a leap for eternal 
life, then I hope to make sure of a foothold on the 
Rock of Ages. 

But know ye not, oh! slnmbering soul, your days 
on earth may be numbered, and the phantom of death 
may even now attend your footsteps ? Why sleep on, 
only to find a rude awakening when your immortal 
spirit is sinking down, down, over the Falls of Eternal 
Despair and outer darkness ? 

Awake! Leap for your life! Stay not to look 
around you! Do not, as you value your soul, listen 
to the voice of Satan bidding you to longer delay. 



ETERNITY. l(^) 

Just then, above the noise of the rising congregei- 
tion, I heard the words in melodious song of — 

"Come, ye sinners, poor and needy, 
Weak and wounded, sick and sore; 
Jesus ready stands to save you. 
Full of fily\ love and/ozcrr." 

As the first verse of this beautiful invitation hymn 
rolled away, I became conscious of the fact that much 
as I knew I needed Christ, there was another force 
which held me for a time spellbound where I stood. 

Presently I heard deep down in my soul: "Time 
enough, no need to be in a rush about starting for 
Heaven; wait until another meeting comes round." 

But over and abo\e all this at length spoke the 
blessed Master: "Come unto me all ye that labour 
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Rest, 
oh! how had I earnestly sought it, and found it not. 
All that long, long weary day my heart still cried out 
for that peace which Christ alone could give. 

To halt between "two opinions" noiv, was to be 
lost forever. Realizing this I began to think I would 
give a great deal to be kneeling at the altar just at 
that moment, calling to God to have mercy upon me. 
But, oh! what a distance I would have to walk up the 
aisle before all that crowd of friends. Was there no 
other way I could find Jesus.' 

Just then the third verse of the hymn rang out in 
painful distinctness: 

'• Let not Sataji make you linger; 
Nor of fitness fondly dream; 
All th© fitness Christ requireth 
" - Is to feci vour need of Him." 



110 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

As these melting words fell upon my burdened 
heart, I felt the Holy Spirit striving again in mighty 
power with my soul, but just as I was on the point of 
yielding, Satan — seeing his grasp on me was broken — 
suggested, ' ' Do not kneel at that altar, but go to the 
front bench. " 

This quite decided me, and I started up the aisle 
feeling I would sink down at every step; but when I 
drew near the front bench, I found Satan had pre- 
vailed upon other souls also to go a little ways toward 
God, and what was my dismay to find all the places 
occupied. 

But the devil found he had overshot his mark, for 
the Lord prevailed, and I never stopped going until I 
fell down at His feet, kneeling inside the altar with my 
face toward the audience. 

While I tried to lift my heart to God in prayer, I 
realized that I was indeed 

"\Veary, heavy-laden, 

Bruised and mangled by the fall; 
Had I tarried until hcltcr, 

I would not have come at all." 

What darkness settled down like a thick cloud 
upon my soul. Not a ray of light could I see. Out 
of the surrounding gloom to my heart there was a 
voice speaking: "Look unto me, and be ye saved.'' 

But just how to take hold upon Jesus and appro- 
priate to my soul, by faith, the sacrifice He offered on 
Calvary's cross, I knew not, and the more I struggled 
to find Him, the deeper I plunged into despair. 



ETERNITY. Ill 

Ere long the devil threw his power over ine until 
my sins arose like a towering mountain above my 
head, and I was tempted to believe there was no 
mere}' for me. 

At this, my courage gave way. Helpless, I quailed 
before Satan's overwhelming charge; but while he was 
following up the great advantage he had gained 
over my drooping heart, my dear Sabbath-school 
teacher came to my relief. Her tidings of comfort 
were : 

"Jennie, so long as Satan can keep your mind 
fastened upon your sins, you can not think of Jesus. 
If you are willing to give up sin, you have nothing 
more to do with it — God will see to that — but go to 
believing- upon the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal 
Saviour, and He will set you free." 

Finding at" length my sorrow too great for words 
she went on: 

" As you bj' faith look to the cross, believe those 
dear hands were nailed there for you; believe those 
feet were spiked down to save your own from slipping 
into Hell; believe the blood llowed from that wounded 
side to ivasJi yonr sins away. " 

While my teacher thus encouraged me to take 
hold by faith upon Jesus, the light of God began to 
break upon my benighted soul, the power of Satan 
was broken, and for a few moments 

" I saw One hanging on a tree, 
In agonies and blood; 
Who fixed His languid eyes on me, 
As near His cross I stood. 



113 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

" Sure, never till my latest breath, 
Can I forget that look; 
It seemed to charge me with His death, 
Though not a word He spoke. 

"My conscience felt and owned the guilt, 
And plunged me in despair; 
I saw my sins His blood had spilt, 
And helped to nail him there. 

"A second look He gave which said, 
I freely all forgive; 
This blood is for thy ransom paid, 
I die, that you may live." 

When at last I reached the point that I could, and 
did, that moment trust in the blood of Christ, in- 
stantly I felt the crushing burden lifted, and I knew 
my heart had been "washed" and made "whiter 
than the snow." 

As the saving poiver of the Holy Spirit fell upon 
me, I arose to my feet rejoicing in Jesus' forgiving 
love. 

What a transformation had been wrought. My 
friends never looked so beautiful, and a new light — 
the light of Heaven — appeared to glozv upon the 
walls of the church and everything around me. 

How much I loved everybody, and Jesus most of 
alL Oh! that I could bring every sinner in all the 
wide world to seek Him for his own. 

Now all fear of Death, Hell, and the Judgement 
day of God vanished away. Jesus had come into my 
heart and taken away all dread of the law. 

How I rejoiced that I had been led of the Spirit to 
humble my pride and kneel at that altar; now it had 



ETERNITY. 113 

become the most sacred spot on earth to me, for there 
I fottnd my Saviour. Right joyfully did I join in 
singing: 

' ' O happy day that fixed my choice 
On Thee, my Saviour and my God; 
Well may this glowing heart rejoice, 
And tell its raptures all abroad. 

" 'Tis done, the great transaction's done, 
I am my Lord's, and He is mine; 
He drew me and I followed on. 

Charmed to confess the voice Divine. 

' ' High Heaven that heard the solejnn vow. 
That vow renewed shall daily hear : 
Till in life's latest hour I bow. 

And bless in death a bond so dear. 



CARRIED OVER THE FALLS. 

[We copy the following warning incidents from many similar cases 
given in '^Revival Kindlings'' of many persons who have neglected 
salvation, and been swept over the Falls of Eternal Despair.] 



''TELL THEM MY SOUL IS IN HELL. 
Selected. 

A merchant once went to the Eastham camp-meet- 
ing with his pious wife, who was very anxious for his 
conversion. The spirit of the meeting troubled him, 
and, after one day, he resolved to leave his wife on 
the ground and return home. 

"Do stay, my dear husband," entreated his wife; 
' ' you will be better pleased to-day, maybe, than you 
were yesterday. " 



114 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

* * No, my partner may need me in his business. I 
shall go," he replied. 

" But you made arrangements to be away a week; 
do stay, husband, and maybe you will find salvation," 
rejoined his wife. 

"No, I must go. I will go. Indeed, I hate the 
place so much that if my soul would be eternally 
damned for going home I wouldn't stay here," was 
his awful answer. 

His horror-struck wife stood silent. Then turning 
on his heel, he hurried to the shore and sailed away 
from the camp-ground. 

On his arrival home he entered his store tired and 
hungry. Seeing a piece of bread and butter on the 
counter, he ate it. Fifteen minutes later his partner 
came in, and, after the usual salutation, looked round 
and with a perturbed manner asked, — 

**What has become of the piece of bread and 
butter I left here ? " 

*'I ate it," replied the merchant. 

**Ate it! Dear me! It was poisoned for the rats. 
You are a dead man. Hurry home in yonder hack, 
while I go for the doctor." 

The alarmed merchant was borne to his home. 
The doctor was soon with him. Antidotes were ad- 
ministered, but they were powerless to save. The 
poison was fiercely assailing the seat of lite. The 
pains of death .soon got hold upon him. He was in 
agony both of mind and body. 

" Have you any message for your wife ? " inquired 
his distressed partner. 



ETERNITY. 115 

This question recalled the camp-ground and the 
awful words he had spoken when leaving his wife. 
Gathering his remaining strength as for a last effort, 
he fixed his glaring eyes upon his friend and said, in 
piercing tones: 

' ' Carry my body to the camp-ground, and tell them 
my soul is in hell! " 

He sank back exhausted. The struggle was over. 
His life in the body had ended. His life in hell had 
begun! 

Reader, are you in the habit of trifling with eternal 
things ? If so, let the horrible end of this merchant 
teach you that it is a " fearful thing to fall into the 
hands of the living God." Remember "God is a 
consuming fire." It is not safe to mock at Him, or 
at His truth. Beware! 

MISSED IT AT LAST. 
Selected. 

Some time ago, a physician called upon a young 
man who was ill. He sat for a little by the bedside, 
examining his patient, and then he honestly told him 
the sad intelligence that he had but a very short time 
to live. The young man was astonished; he did not 
expect it would come to that so soon. He forgot that 
death comes "in such hour as ye think not." At 
length he looked up into the face of the doctor, and 
with a most despairing countenance, repeated the ex- 
pression: " I have missed it — at last." 

"What have you missed.'^" inquired the tender- 
hearted, sympathizing physician. 



116 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

"I have missed it — at last," again he repeated. 

" Missed what ? " 

*' Doctor, I have missed the salvation of my soul." 

"Oh, say not so; — it is not so. Do you remem- 
ber the thief on the cross ? " 

' ' Yes, I remember the thief on the cross. And I 
remember that he never said to the Holy Ghost — Go 
thy w-ay. But / did. And now He is saying to me — 
Go four way.'' He lay gasping a while, and looking 
up with a vacant, staring eye, he said : "I was 
awakened and was anxious about my soul, a little 
time ago. But I did not want to be saved then. 
Something seemed to say to me, ' Do n't put it off, 
make sure of salvation. ' I said to myself, ' I will 
postpone it. ' I knew I ought not to do it. I knew I 
was a great sinner and needed a Saviour. I resolved, 
however, to dismiss the subject for the present. Yet 
I could not get my own consent to do it until I had 
promised to take it up again, at a time not remote 
and more favorable. I bargained away, resisted and 
insulted the Holy Spirit. I never thought of coming 
to this. I meant to have made my salvation sure, 
and now I have missed it — at last." 

'*You remember," said the doctor, "that there 
were some who came at the eleventh hour." 

' * My eleventh hour, ' ' he rejoined, ' ' was when I had 
that call of the Spirit. I have had none since — shall 
not have. I am given over to be lost. Oh! I have 
missed it! I have sold my soul for nothing — a feather 
— a straw — undone forever! " This was said with such 
indescribable despondency that nothing was said in 



ETERNITY. 117 

reply. After laying a few moments, he raised his 
head, and looking all around the room as if for some 
desired object, buried his face in the pillow, and 
again exclaimed in agony and horror, "Oh! I have 
missed it at last," and died. 

Reader, you need not miss your salvation, for you 
may have it now^ What you have read is a true 
story. How earnestly it says to you, "Now is the 
accepted time! " 

"To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not 
your hearts." 

-AN AWFUL JUDGEMENT. 

The following incident from the pen of Sister M. 
A. Sparling, Claremont, N. H., is an illustration of 
the words of Holy Writ, that ' ' the wicked is snared 
in the work of his own hands. " She writes: "While 
reading ' Echo from the Border Land ' something said, 
You have an echo from the ' lower region. ' If it were 
father's will I 'd love to stand up in your congregation 
and deliver the message; I can only write. A few 
years ago I was at a camp-meeting in Rockingham, 
Vt. , and a gang of rowdies got together to set a time 
to break up the whole meeting. They lived eight 
miles away. So on Thursday evening the}^ came on 
the ground to accomplish their fiendish work, and 
have their ' fun, ' as they told some of their friends. 
Their plan was to lay trains of powder into every 
tent, under the beds, and when the town clock struck 
twelve, all were to touch fire to the powder and run 
to a distance, and see the frightened women and chil- 



118 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

dren run and scream. At ten, a distant thunder was 
heard, and while they were waiting for the hour to set 
fire, God sent one of the most terrific thunder and hail 
storms I ever witnessed. It had been a hot day and 
these young men had no overcoats to put on; and as 
their last resort, after seeing their powder all wet and 
their plans "all defeated, they were compelled to ride 
back to their homes, eight miles, all drenched with 
rain and chilled through. The ringleader had to be 
carried into the house benumbed. His mother tried 
for hours to get him warm. Then came a burning 
fever, and then he called his dear mother and told her 
what he had done, saying: ' Mother, I 've got to die! 
Do pray! Do pray! What shall I do ? Oh, how can 
I die.''' She said: ' I never prayed.' 'Then call 
father, ' cried the dying man. He could not pray. 
Then he cried: 'What shall I do.? Oh, how can I 
die! ' Then he would clutch his hands and wring 
them in agony, crying, ' I can 't die so! I can 't die so! 
Mother, mother, do pray! do pray! ' 

' ' The father went for a Baptist minister, but before 
he arrived the boy was insane; and with distorted 
eyes, hands uplifted over his head, and writhing in 
agony, he died raving, and among his last words were: 
'I'm going to hell; I'm lost! Lost! Lost! I can't 
die so! I can't! I can 't! Mother, 'tis awful to go to 
hell this way.' " 

This seems a fulfillment of the Word which de- 
clares of the wicked that " distress and anguish make 
him afraid; they prevail against him, as a king ready 
to the battle" (Job xv. 24). 



ETERNITY 119 



'■ I AM NOT PENITENT. 



The following- scene is described by Evangelist 
Caughe}' : 

Upon the bed of his last sickness lay a d\ing in- 
fidel. He was asked a question, to which his counte- 
nance replied, before he had uttered a word: "Are 
\our principles sufficient to sustain yon in this trying- 
hour .-^ " He answered sternly, "No;" and after a 
pause, unable to restrain his feeling, he exclaimed, 
" Surely, I am the greatest fool in the world to have 
become the dupe of wicked and designing men; I am 
justly consigifed to that hell, the idea of which I once 
laughed at." Offers of pardon through the Blood of 
the Lamb were freely presented and sadly and sullenly 
put awa}'. He heard the exhortation with patience, 
till "penitent sinner" was mentioned; when he cried, 
" Penitent sinner! I am not penitent. It is the fear 
of eternal damnation that is at work upon m}- guilty 
soul; this is nothing else but a pledge and foretaste of 
the misery of the damned. Eternal fire! eternal fire! 
who can dwell with everlasting burnings } My body 
can not live and my soul dare not die. Oh, that I 
had another day! but this would be of no use; I must 
perish, and reconcile myself to my lot; I am dying! 
I am dying! " A second attempt was made to turn 
his despairing conscience to the cross, which he heard 
with more than usual patience. When the individual 
ceased, he became very restless, and at last shrieked 
fearfulh', crying, "See! see! do you not see them.'' 
They arc come for me, I must go to my place." The 



130 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

horror on his countenance was infernal. His last 
words were, ''Damned, damned, forever damned! " 

HONV A YOUNG LADY GAINED A DRESS BUT LOST 

HER SOUL. 
Mary \\lieato}i. 

The following incident was told me by a friend who 
was acquainted with the circumstances: 

A young lady who used to sing in operas and fash- 
ionable concerts, was walking along the streets with a 
young gentleman one afternoon, and they came to a 
church in which revival meetings were being held. 
They were not in the habit of attending such meet- 
ings, but the singing so attracted the lady's attention, 
that she spoke to the gentleman about it and said: 
"Let us go inside and listen." "You don't want to 
go in there," said he, "they are having revival meet- 
ings." But the longer she listened to the music the 
more she was impressed with the thought of going 
where she could hear better, and at last said, " I am 
going in the church." So they both went in and took 
seats. The minister soon arose, and after reading his 
text, preached to the unconverted. It seemed to the 
young lady that every word he said was intended for 
her. She was convicted, and left the church with the 
intention of living a different life. On reaching home, 
where her unconverted mother was, the daughter said, 
" Mother, I am going to be a better girl. " 

" What do you mean } " asked the parent. 

" I mean, I am going to be a Christian." 

"Daughter, you don't know what you are talking 



ETERNITY. 131 

about. You are too young to be a Christian, Re- 
ligion is all right for old people, but you are just the 
age to enjoy 3'ourself, and don't want to think of such 
things." 

The words of the mother did not change the good 
resolutions of the daughter. She still said: ''I am 
going to live for God." A few days after this, she 
was called on to sing in a worldly entertainment, and 
refused because she had made up her mind to sing for 
God. As soon as her mother heard what she had 
done, she was angry, and reproved her very severely. 
Seeing this did not accomplish her aim, she scoffed at 
her. Then she tried coaxing, and at last promised 
her a new silk dress if she would do the required 
singing. 

This was a great temptation to the young lady, for 
she had been very fashionable and liked to dress so. 
After studying over the matter for a while, she said : 
' ' I will sing just once more to get the dress, but it 
will be the last time." She at once commenced prep- 
aration for the singing. As soon as she began to 
associate with her old friends the desire for religion 
left her, and she said to herself: "I believe mother 
is right; I guess I am too young to be a Christian. I 
will enjoy myself for a while yet, and when I get older 
I will seek God." How long did she enjoy herself.^ 
A week after this she is taken very ill. Then she 
wanted Christ. The minister she heard preach a 
short time ago was sent for. He and a few Christian 
friends came and prayed for her. She, too, plead for 
salvation, but finally said: "It is no use, I have put 



122 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

off serving God too long — I can see the very gates of 
hell open to receive me." She then spoke to her 
mother and said: "Get me my new silk dress." 
After hesitating a few minutes the mother did so, and 
as she brought it near, the daughter said: "Hang it 
up there," pointing to a hook near the bed. After the 
dress was hung on the hook, she pointed to it and 
said: "Mother, that is the price of my soul," and 
passed into an endless eternity. 

' ' What doth it profit a man, to gain the whole 
world, and forfeit his life .'^ " (Mark viii. 36.) 



ETERNITY. 123 



WHY WILL YE DIE? 

JV. H. S.; Ai-ranged. 

When the cold, clammy hand of your enemy Death, 
Has silenced your heart and suspended your breath. 
When friends, bowed in grief, your dead body surround, 
O where, careless one, will your poor soul be found ? 

Deep down in the hell where all Christless ones go, 
Immersed in despair and surrounded with woe, 
Your soul will be wailing, and joining its cry 
With the groans of the lost as they bitterly sigh. 

In Hell, where the flames will forever be fierce; 
In Hell, where the fangs of the worm ever pierce; 
In Hell, where the torments have never an end; 
In Hell, where the wicked in anguish descend. 

Then hurried along on the fiery wave, 
No eye to take pity, and no one to save; 
Fierce fiends will attend as you go wailing b}', 
And laugh at your anguish, and mock your sad cry. 

For ever and ever deep down in the fire. 

Your woes will increase, and your moans will rise 

higher, 
The smoke of your torment will mount like a cloud. 
And will wrap you around in its terrible shroud. 

Then thinking of folly that merits your doom, 

Of Christ who once knocked, but was given no room, 

You'll pray, in despair by agony driven, 

But prayer said in Hell, can never reach Heaven. 



124 THE RIVER OF DEATH. 

The flames will not slack, growing hotter and fierce, 
And the tooth of the worm still deeper will pierce; 
Your cry will not rise from the caverns of Hell, 
But echo around where the dark demons dwell. 

Salvation was free, but you clung to your sin; 
And God would have saved, had you yielded to Him. 
His Spirit oft strove, but you said to Him, " Go," 
And now you 're in Hell, 'mid its anguish and woe. 

But WHY should you perish, since Jesus has died — 
Since life has flowed out from His spear-pierced side, 
Your vast load of guilt was all laid upon Him. 
Who finished the work and atoned for your sin ? 

There 's naught can avail, that you ever can do, 
But repent and believe in His promise so true, 
Oh, come as a sinner, deserving of Hell, 
Trust Christ as your Saviour, and all will be well. 

Yes, still there is mercy, and wide stands the gate, 
While Jesus implores, and continues to wait: 
" O come UNTO Me; quickly come and be blest; 
In Me there is safety, in Me there is rest." 

Refuse not this message; 'tis sent you from Heaven, 
It may be the last that to you will be given! 
O LOOK to the Saviour; yes, look to Him now; 
Accept Him at once, and in penitence bow. 



the end. 



fi 



WRECKED 



or _ 



A Striking- 

Salvation Wall Chart. 

Bj' the Editor of The Revivalist. 

33x38— Tinned For Hanging, 

UTHOGRAPHED IN SEVEN COI.ORS. 



It forcefully pictures the Riyer of Death sAveeping 
its multitudes in the "Death Boats of Sin" past tho 
" Lighthouses of Salvation " over the frightful " Falls c»( 
Eternal Despair." Also, tributary streams which feed 
the "River of Death;" "Plains of Regeneration," 
"Holiness Heights" and "Heaven." It is 

A Mighty Silent Preaciier. 



It warns of sin and convicts for Full Salvation. 

Its silent arguments are unanswerable. 

It will enable you to preach to your family and visitors 
in a way that you can not afford to miss. 

At a large expense it has been prepared by an expert 
artist and skillful lithographers, and will be an edifying 
ornament, framed, or as a wall chart, in any home. 
Price, postpaid, GO cents. 



TO REVIVALIST SUBSCRIBERS ; 

Subscribers for the Weekly Revivalist can have this Chart 
postpaid by adding only 25 cents. 



TOTAL, *1.35. 



A Gold Mine for Agents A Will Sell at Sight. 



and Book Evangelists. ^ Write for terms. 



4 



M. W. KN^APP, 

REVIVALIST OFFICE, CINCINNATI, O. 



THE REVIVALI5T. 

A FULL SALVATION JOURNAL, 

Published WEEKLY in the interest of 

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 

FREE FROM QUESTIONABLE ADVERTISEMENTS. 

Pentecostal. Missionary. 

Loyal. Evangelical. 

"In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all 
things, charity." 

GOD, WHOM WE SERVE, - - - Proprietor. 

M. W. KNAPP, Editor. 

SETH C. REES, Associate. 

W N. HIRST, - - - - Book Department. 

BYRON J. REES, - - - - Review Editor. 

W. B, GODBEY, Sunday-school and Question Drawer. 
MRS. M W. KNAPP, Young People's Department. 

OBJECT. 

To promote deep spirituality among all believers. 

To magnify the New Testament standard of piety and 
doctrine, especially emphasizing Scriptural Regeneration 
for sinners and the Baptism with the Holy Ghost for all of 
God's children. 

To help spread the Gospel of Bible Holiness over " all 
the world." 

To oppose the formality, worldliness and "ecclesiastical 
usurpation which threaten the very life of the believer. 

To proclaim the freedom of individual conscience in 
all matters not sinful. 

By God's grace wf hope to make it one of THE BEST 
PAPERS ISSUED. 

PRICE, $1.00 PER YEAR. 
12^" Agents wanted everywhere. 
M. W. KNAPP, Publisher, - - Cincinnati, Ohio. 



LIGHTNING BOLTS FROM PENTECOSTAL SKIES, 

Or, Devices of the Devil Unmasked. 

By MARTIN WELLS KNAPP. 

Table of Contents. 




Frontispiece of Author. 

lyightning Bolts. 

The Pentecostal Baptism. 

Pentecostal Sanctification. 

Pentecostal Conversions. 

Pentecostal Revivals. 

Pentecostal Homes. 

Pentecostal Gifts. 

Pentecostal Giving. 

Pentecostal Healing. 

Pentecostal Expectancy of Christ's 

Return. 
The Pentecostal Church. 
Pentecostal Preachers. 
Pentecostal Impostors. 

Striking Illustrations designed by Author; 
Executed by J. A. Kuapp. 

Struck by Lightning. 2. Lost, Saved, Fully Sanctified. 3. Diagram 
4. The Rapture. 5. On the Rock and on 
6. "Three Demon Spirits Hover." 



XI. 
XII. 
XIII. 



of Christ's Return, 
the Sand. 



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Over 300 Pages. 
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Weekly Revivalist. 



Other Book s by this Author. 

80 cents. 



24,000. 



"Able, clear, ant 



Out of Egypt Into Canaan. 

forcible."— Central Methodist. 

Christ Crowned "Within. 19,000. 75 cents. " A treasury of the burr- 
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"Impressions." 6,000. 50 cents. " A most instructive, suggestive, ant 
useful book.— S. A. Keen. "We advise evervbody to read it."- 
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The Double Cure. Sanctification simplified. )3,ooo. 10 cents. 

Revival Kindling.s. Revival facts and incidents. 5,000. $1.00. " I 
will be read with comfort and delight."— Mich. Christian Advocate. 

Revival Tornadoes. 13,000. |i.oo. " A keen exposure of sham Revi- 
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The whole set with Lightning Bolts and The Reoivalist, one year, postpaid, $5.00 

Agents and Book Evangelists Wanted Everywhere. 

M. W. KNAPP, Revivalist Office, Cincinnati, O. 



TOUCHING INCIDENTS • • • 

. . AND . . 

. . . REMARKABLE ANSWERS TO PRAYER. 



These are valuable books, having a remarkable sale 
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Large Edition. 

Cloth, 320 pages ; price, $1.00. Agents making 
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Has 128 pages, illustrated with forty-two cuts. 
Price, 35 cents. 

Average Sales 10,500 per month 

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Fairly presented, they sell themselves. 



From a multitude of Testimonials, we quote the following; 

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rioctrinal nor denominational, yet distinctly Christian. Its high religious 
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^'* im 



